Lachi speaks proudly about her personal journey as a Black daughter of Nigerian immigrants into powerful art with her new spoken word/rap song, “That Kinda Black.”
Shot at Amazon Music Studios in Brooklyn, Lachi’s original concert series, MAD DIFFERENT, celebrates the strength of embracing differences. Featuring an award-winning all-female band and a lineup of co-artists, the series delivers a message of “fighting for justice while finding joy in what makes us unique.”
Closing out MAD DIFFERENT during Black History Month, “That Kinda Black” is a melodic exploration of the Black experience—one that Lachi is proud to showcase as an artist. Through inspired storytelling and clever lyricism, this track is both deeply introspective and one-of-a-kind as it is both spoken and sung.
With lines like “Gotta stay luxury, don’t got the luxury not to stand on number one-ing” and “Read the instructions on how to be about it, went out and did it, done tryna read about it,” Lachi and Frank Nitty showcase their lyrical prowess, unpacking the complexities of Black identity precision.
Lachi brings her storytelling to life through inclusivity, incorporating ASL, audio descriptions and collaborating with artists with disabilities in her creative process. Beyond music, she is set to release her book “I Identify as Blind,” while also hosting the PBS series Renegades, serving as a GRAMMYs Board Governor, leading her fashion line Glam Canes, and heading Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities (RAMPD) as its CEO.
The Knockturnal had the chance to premiere an exclusive reel interview, where we spoke with Lachi about her creative process behind MAD DIFFERENT and her work as both an artist and activist.
Check out our full conversation below with Lachi!
The Knockturnal: What inspired you to create the 4-part series, MAD DIFFERENT?
Lachi: As a music artist and cultural architect, identity pride is a part of everything I do. The Mad Different series amplifies pride in difference. Through my journey, through all my different identities, I celebrate what it means to find power in the different parts of you that society encourages us to hide. For example, “Diseducation,” celebrates my Disability identity (as a blind woman), squashing ableism, while “A Girl“ discusses the trials and triumphs of being a woman in today’s America. I really wanted the performance series to embody high-quality art while incorporating accessibility. So we filmed it at Amazon Music’s beautiful Brooklyn studios with award-winning filmmaker Caroline Mariko Stucky co-directing alongside me. We showcased sign language front and center with ASL artist Indi Robinson, incorporated celebrity Audio Descriptions at the top of each video for blind and low vision viewers to understand the on-screen content, and collaborated with world-class artists, musicians and crew with disabilities.
The Knockturnal: “That Kinda Black” wraps up the 4-part acoustic concert series, accompanied by interviews with notable co-artists and thought leaders. How does it feel to start the new year and Black History Month with such a powerful piece?
Lachi: It feels really important to be sharing “That Kinda Black” in this current moment. It’s important that we recognize Blackness in all of its forms, from American to Caribbean to Afro-Latino to African and to the second and third generations of Black immigrants. “That Kinda Black” is my Black story—rich in heritage, ambition and adaptability.
The Knockturnal: “That Kinda Black” is deeply personal, reflecting your own journey. What was it like to create and deliver a song so close to your heart?
Lachi: “That Kinda Black” dives into topics I really haven’t explored musically before. I wrote it after a woman in the music industry told me she didn’t like my “tone.” As a result, I lost an important opportunity. I felt so reduced to the ‘Mad Black Woman’ trope. I hopped in the booth on a whim, hit record, and the lyrics just flowed out, like they were churning in my subconscious itching to be released. In the song, Frank (my brother) and I speak on how we were raised not to see ourselves as “That Kinda Black” but as descendants of African royalty (both of our parents are Chiefs in Nigeria and became professors here in America). However, due to racial stigma black is just seen as black—which includes pretty harmful stereotypes. Blackness is not a monolith, and there are as many unique Black stories as there are Black humans.
The Knockturnal: You’ve been going non-stop with the MAD DIFFERENT series, releasing all types of content and achieving major milestones, like recently hitting 1 million views on TikTok with your song “Out of the Dark.” How has this relentless pace been for you, and how do you keep it up?
Lachi: This relentless pace is honestly where I thrive. On top of the Mad Different series, I’ve also been writing my forthcoming book “I Identify as Blind,” hosting the PBS series Renegades, serving as a GRAMMYs Board Governor, running my fashion line GlamCanes, being the CEO of my organization Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities (RAMPD), and too many other things to keep track of! I managed to pull it all off with the help of my stellar team and by letting my “why” guide me in every project. Once you are pushing in purpose, it really truly isn’t work.
The Knockturnal: As both an artist and an activist, what message do you hope to communicate through your work?
Lachi: My north star is to use pop culture (whether in music, storytelling or fashion) to amplify the power of “different” to mainstream discussion. There is so much untapped power and abundance in exploring, embracing and celebrating our collective difference. I always say “I eat barriers for breakfast” as that’s what my work is all about! I want to challenge people’s assumptions, re-define cultural norms, and empower folks to embrace the totality of their identity.
The Knockturnal: For readers discovering you and your music for the first time, what final message would you like to leave with them?
Lachi: My goal is that everyone can find a piece of themselves in these Mad Different songs. Whether it’s a piece you’ve kept hidden from yourself, from everyone else, or whether you share it loudly, I hope these songs help you celebrate all that makes you, you. The most powerful thing I’ve ever done was accept the deepest parts of myself society told me to hide. It made me find my truest abundance mindset, and that’s why I can’t stop shouting it from the rooftops!
You can explore Lachi’s full MAD DIFFERENT series [here], or follow her on social media to stay connected with her powerful message and unapologetically authentic artistry.
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