Published February 4th 2016
It looks like R&B singer Joe Thomas has really arrived on YouTube. Just a few months ago, he covered Adele’s “Hello” to launch his new YouTube channel, and now he’s uploaded his sophomore video.
Our Anthem
“Our Anthem” delivers exactly what you would expect from the title.
It’s his clear intend to raise the awareness of all issues the black community faces, but make no mistake; this anthem is not just for the black community. It pleads for racial equality. The song holds a message for both sides of the story and it couldn’t have come at a better time, when racial tension seem to be sky high. Unfortunately.
Mashing Up Some History
In the song, Joe mashes up the American national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner”, with new lyrics, as well as Otis Redding’s “Try A Little Tenderness”. I even spot the melody of, I think, “Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay” at the very beginning of the song (or is that just me?).
Joe is usually known for his smooth vocals, but this track shows that he can pull of some of that old fashioned raw soul vocals as well. He could fit right into that old Motown era.
Racial Equality
He’s one of the many artists who have used their art to stand up against police violence or fight for the simple recognition other races seem to get much easier.
While, in the film industry, Jada Pinkett Smith and Spike Lee are fighting for equality, Usher and Sananda Maitreya have used their music to address the same matter.
Of course there’s a lot to gain for humanity once racial equality is reached. Black culture has brought our world many good things: Hip Hop, great soul music, to name a few, and that’s just in music. Racial equality can only make us thrive further as the human race.
