D.Black’s sophomore album Ali’Yah is a highly conscious record, full of life lessons and perspective from the emcee’s own experiences. Once more rough around the edges, D.Black now prioritizes positivity as a result of his discovery of Messianic Judaism. On “Yesterday,” the album’s first video, his past, his future, and his faith are all on display.
Set underneath a freeway overpass (perhaps the road that separates heaven and hell?), the video depicts an epic chess game for D.Black’s soul. Light and dark versions of the emcee face off against each other, with supporters shrouding and encouraging each player. The video’s lesson is to allow yourself to leave things, especially negative things, in your past. He combines this message with smooth, flowing rhymes and a classic soul feel, set over warm production by B. Brown and D. Black himself.
As he frequently does, D. Black connected the “Yesterday’s” meaning to his faith when asked about it. “On a more spiritual level, it means to not look back, by which you’d be giving life again to the evil nature that works contrary to pure spirit.”
The chorus closes with the phrase, “We don’t know what tomorrow brings,” emphasizing the positive, heartfelt, and forward-looking message of the track. D. Black is clearly a man at peace with his past as well as his future, and the video for “Yesterday” is a concrete example of just how bright D. Black’s future is.
The Background:
Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, D.Black’s musical roots are deep, with his mother and father both involved in pioneering hip-hop groups in the Seattle music scene. In 2006, D.Black released his debut album, The Cause & Effect, a huge regional success, allowing the emcee to share the stage with Nas, Freeway, Bun B, Clipse, Paul Wall, The Boot Camp Click, and more. After being mentored by Vitamin D, a staple and veteran of the Seattle hip-hop scene, D.Black began making a name for himself by working on projects with producer Jake One. One such collaboration resulted in D.Black being featured on Jake One’s White Van Music, on the track “God Like,” helping to cement the Seattle emcee as a household name beyond the Pacific Northwest. Jake One and Vitamin D were also both instrumental in helping D.Black create his new album, offering guidance and production on the record. D.Black’s new album, Ali’Yah, is nowavailable everywhere via Sportn’ Life Records/MYX Music Label.
Please contact Michelle or Dan if interested in talking with D.Black
About MYX Music:
MYX Music Label was founded in 2007 by industry veteran Karim Panni of the Boom Bap Project (Rhymesayers Entertainment). MYX Music Label is under the umbrella of MYX TV, which is the only music and lifestyle channel dedicated to the Asian American community. Distributed nationally, MYX TV showcases the hottest major label and independent content as well as dynamic original programming that fuses fashion, comedy, and culture. MYX Music Label integrates the newest technology while developing innovative digital distribution and promotion strategies to service their artists. The MYX Music Label was created for the sole purpose of using the MYX TV visual network platform to promote the finest independent hip-hop and urban music. MYX Music Label’s ambitious release schedule for 2009 includes groundbreaking works from production duo Keelay & Zaire, D.Black, Jern Eye, and Kam Moye aka Supastition. Also, adding to their versatility as a label, MYX Music Label DVD releases include The Nutshack, Built From Skratch, Str8 Laced and Slanted Comedy, which features today’s top Asian American comedians For more information on MYX Music Label, please visit
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