During the 200th episode of the show, a retrospective look back at the fourteen years of coverage we’ve provided for the Nashville music scene, I lamented multiple times at the woeful lack of coverage on hip-hop. Frankly, it goes further than that and we’ve been dismally lacking in music created by people of color overall. We can’t change the past but we can change how we operate moving forward.

This episode isn’t meant to be an atonement for the previous lack of coverage but it is an intentional reset in widening our gaze and committing to ensuring more coverage for everyone. I truly believe the We in We Own This Town to be inclusive of all genres outside of Music Row and Pop Country and I’d like to make sure that’s actually reflected in the content of the show, not just lip service.

Many thanks to Lance Conzett for this Black Voices Nashville playlist to aid as a jumping off point for discovery.

If you are not already, I implore you to follow @blm_nashville (Black Lives Mattre Nashville), @gideonsarmyunited (Gideon’s Army United), @oversightnow (Community Oversight Nashville) & @nashvillepeoplesbudget (Nashville People’s Budget). Education is the driver to action.

As with every episode, follow these artists! These tracks are just the beginning of a much larger pool of music to be heard and enjoyed. Many thanks to Negro Justice, Jonesiii From the Moon, The New Respects, Lackhoney, Count Bass-D, Kyshona, Brineaboy and thirdface for their creations.