06/30/2021
The act of singing and fighting for equality have been inseparable in African American history. Celebrating the 42nd anniversary of Black Music Month, Sir the Baptist brings us one of the most iconic recordings/hymns of all time! “The Black National Anthem.” The Baptist & Tymple performing "Lift Every Voice and Sing,'' Live from Mercedes-Benz Stadium Atlanta, GA in June 2021 during unpresented times for Black America faced with Covid-19. While the stadium isn’t opened to the public due to coronavirus, the Black Music Walk of Fame is the occasion and they are honoring the likes of Michael Jackson, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Beyonce and Outkast. Watching this performance on the sideline is a standing prestigious crowd of industry peers; the Jackson family, Sean “Love” “Diddy” Combs family, Missy Elliot, Big Boi from Outkast, Kirk Franklin and many more. The “Benz” is the home stadium of the Atlanta Falcons, a National Football League team and Atlanta United FC of Major League Soccer. Sir’s Donor for this creation is John Zimmer, Co-Founder of Lyft . The contribution was toward the advancement and awareness of the black national anthem; For his gift Sir will gift John the NFT and a portraiture.
The original version was penned by James Weldon Johnson and music composed by his brother Rosamond, "Lift Every Voice and Sing" was embraced as the national anthem for Black Americans. Since the song's creation, it has been adopted by the NAACP and performed by countless artists in times of both crisis and celebration, cementing its place in African American life up through the present day. In this rich, poignant, and readable work, Sir the Baptist rendition of the hymn has a scene set with a hundred people on the turf of the Mercedes Benz Stadium, the first to do so. From civil rights to black power, and from countless family reunions to Carnegie Hall and the Oval Office. Drawing on a wide array of sources, Sir uses "Lift Every Voice and Sing" as a window into Gospel & Hip Hop’s rich history of great song writing. African Americans have used music and culture to organize, mourn, challenge, and celebrate for more than a century.
A quote from Sir; “Kneeling isn’t enough, we must uplift our own anthems.” Sir the Baptist, a Lyft Alumni and now Grammy nominated artist takes on this hymn.
