Songs from current music artists and a posthumous contribution from music artist and former NBA player Wayman Tisdale are part of “1921,” a collaborative album from the Black Wall Street Music Project released May 26 on digital platforms.
Released via One Tulsa, the project brought together artists of varying styles, including Omaley B, Taylor Hanson of the Tulsa pop-rock trio Hanson, Majeste Pearson, Dangerous Rob, Playya 1000, Tisdale and others to reflect on the deep musical heritage of Tulsa — specifically the Greenwood District and historic Black Wall Street.
“The neighborhood, which remains a vibrant urban community of businesses in the heart of Tulsa, Oklahoma, seeks to celebrate the power of music to bring people together and to inspire reflection and unification in spite of the area’s tragic history,” said a news release about the album.
People are also reading…
The album title refers to the year of the Tulsa Race Massacre, which destroyed Black Wall Street “and with it the spirit of a thriving area that has spent a century seeking to restore its unrivaled potential.”
The release said executive producer and One Tulsa founder Fred Jones had a passion to assemble an album that could bring attention to challenging topics while seeking to spark a more hopeful future for the Greenwood District he loves — an area now full of collaboration and partnership.
“I really wanted this to be a diverse project,” Jones said. “I want to see us unify and move forward as a people, especially the kids. We’ve got to figure this out before hatred and racism is passed on to another generation.”
Each song tells a story of hope in the midst of tragedy and expectation of a thriving future despite a history of deep loss.
Omaley B’s “We Died In Love” paints an impactful picture of a couple who clung to one another and their church amidst the Race Massacre’s conflict.
Kode Ransom’s spoken word “Oklahoma Made” highlights the many creative voices and perspectives that make up the Oklahoma community.
Taylor Hanson’s live recording of “Sound Like Joy” was recorded in Tulsa’s Historic Vernon AME Church, which survived the massacre and now represents a beacon of hope for the Greenwood community.
Majeste Pearson’s powerful vocal performance on “America’s Prayer” seeks to call on divine grace to heal a broken world, while hip-hop artists Dangerous Rob and Playya 1000’s collaborative work “Black Wall Street Sound” claims with pride the authentic voice and imperfect past which makes up a community the artists are proud to call home.
The album is available on all digital platforms. To find out more about the Black Wall Street Music Project, go to blackwallstreetmusic.com.
‘1921’ track listing
1. “We Died In Love,” Omaley B feat. Jerica Wortham & Sterling Matthews
2. “Oklahoma Made” Kode Ransom
3. “America’s Prayer,” Majeste Pearson
4. “For Black Wall Street,” D Rob & Playa 1000 feat. Malachi
5. “Sound Like Joy (Live from Vernon AME),” Taylor Hanson
6. “Kerosene,” Omaley B feat. Steph Simon
7. “American Fool,” Dane Arnold
8. “Gold,” Kode Ransom
9. “The Velvet Dancer,” Washington Rucker
10. “Come On Up,” Omaley B feat. Branjae
11. “Where We Meet,” Lester “L2” Shaw
12. “The Sun Will Rise Again,” Doc Shaw feat. L2 & Retsel Shaw
13. “Sultry Summer,” Wayman Tisdale
14. “Tulsa Chillin,” Wayman Tisdale & Arthur Thompson
Majeste Pearson performs during the 1921: The Black Wall Street Music Project