Black Pumas

When Black Pumas made their self-titled debut in 2019, the Austin-bred duo set off a reaction almost as combustible and rapturous as their music itself. Along with earning a career total of seven GRAMMY Award nominations (including Album Of The Year) and winning praise from leading outlets like Pitchfork and Rolling Stone, singer/songwriter Eric Burton and guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada achieved massive success as a live act, touring large theaters all over Europe and North and South America and delivering a transcendent show Burton aptly refers to as “electric church.” As they set to work on their highly awaited sophomore album, the band broadened their palette to include a dazzling expanse of musical forms: heavenly hybrids of soul and symphonic pop, mind-bending excursions into jazz-funk and psychedelia, starry-eyed love songs that feel dropped down from the cosmos. Wilder and weirder and more extravagantly composed than its predecessor, Chronicles of a Diamond arrives as the fullest expression yet of Black Pumas’ frenetic creativity and limitless vision. One of the most electrifying new acts to emerge in recent years, Black Pumas first brought their unbridled breed of psychedelic soul to their 2019 self-titled debut—a widely acclaimed LP whose deluxe edition landed a Grammy Award nomination for Album of the Year. With seven Grammy nominations now under their belt, the Austin-bred duo have made a major cultural impact with smash singles like “Colors”: a gold-certified anthem that’s amassed over 450 million streams, in addition to hitting No. 1 at AAA Radio and earning Grammy nominations for Record of the Year and Best American Roots Performance. Known for their exhilarating live show (as shown on multiple sold-out tours across North and South America and Europe), singer/songwriter Eric Burton and guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada first discovered their once-in-a-lifetime chemistry back in 2017, after Quesada began searching for a potential collaborator and connected with Burton through a mutual friend. Thanks to the potent collision of their distinct sensibilities—Burton is a self-taught musician who got his start busking in his native Los Angeles, Quesada is a Grammy winner whose background includes playing in Latin-funk orchestra Grupo Fantasma—Black Pumas soon set off on a meteoric rise that’s included performing at the Grammys and at President Biden’s inauguration, making high-profile appearances on shows like “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, winning Emerging Act of the Year from the Americana Music Association, and selling over a million album equivalents worldwide. Produced by Quesada and co-produced by Burton, their massively anticipated sophomore album Chronicles of a Diamond finds Black Pumas bringing their singular vision to life with more power, passion, and daring originality than ever before.

Yo, what's up? This is Tajai of the mighty Souls of Mischief crew I'm chillin' with my man Phesto, my man A-Plus And my man Op', you know he's dope But right now, you know, we just maxin' in the studio We hailin' from East Oakland, California And, um, sometimes it gets a little hectic out there But right now, yo, we gonna up you on how we just chill 1993, West Coast... Dr. Dre vs Eazy-E, Snoop Doggy Dogg on the rise with his debut album alongside the N.W.A don of production. Tupac with the summer release of 'I Get Around', but caught up in alleged gun fights and assault charges. G-funk the national conversation. So when Souls Of Mischief came onto the scene with their funky outfits, slammin' beats and breezy attitudes - backed with a lyrical dexterity far beyond their teenage years – a fresh hop to the bounce of the West Coast was born. "Sometimes it gets a little hectic out there...", Tajai exclaimed in the intro, "...But right now we gonna up you on how we just chill". The California quartet announced themselves with harmlessly refreshing confidence, on more of a Tribe tip with jazz-drips and groove-infused rhythms – yet lyrically more adventurous and weed-scented; more of a Pharcyde vibe with endlessly cool rhymes and multisyllabic wordplays - yet more intellectual, energetic and freestyle-ready. A funky introspection was clear to see. This was Oakland, California in 1993.