Single: Black Milk – “Black NASA” ft. Sam Austins

The Detroit-Born Polymath Soulfully Examines the Uneven Playing Field for Success in the Latest Single From the DiVE EP

 07.26.2019

Critical Praise:

“As the performance soared into a free-form jam, it was apparent that Mr. Cross and the band had succeeded in pushing the music far from the boundaries of any single genre.” – Wall Street Journal

“Black Milk’s solo career represents a constant cycle of adopting and mastering new production styles and then abandoning them before they become crutches.” – Pitchfork 

“His samples are elegant, his rhythms challenging and his drum kits tight.” – NPR

“Sonically [FEVER] is, unsurprisingly, a masterful album: echoey, soulful and old-school” – The Guardian

“Cross has no need for these extras; in his world of soul-tugging productions and machinegun-as-velvet delivery they are merely distractions. On this realization, and in the moment, it was hard not be floored by the obvious: this is what talent with genuine poise really looks and sounds like.” – Dallas Observer

The Song:

Combining adventurous sonics with a curious and defiant perspective on modern American life, Black Milk is one of rap’s most vital artists. Aiming high with his latest single, Black Milk speaks out against an unequal playing field on “Black NASA,” his latest single. Adopting a sing-song flow atop a sample-based instrumental with flavors of rock, ambient and neosoul, Black Milk expounds on the idea that people of color need to “work twice as hard to get half as far,” empathizing with frustrated dreamers and urging them forward: “Middle fingers to the ones pointing fingers that never be where I’m from/We was trapped in, shit, why you think we all strapped in/Head in the clouds, yeah, you deserve it/You’ll probably see a star if you look a little further.” With a hook from Detroit singer Sam Austins, “Black NASA” is the second single from the upcoming DiVE EP, following  “If U Say ft. BJ The Chicago Kid,” which received coverage from HYPEBEAST, Lyrical Lemonade, and more.

Explains Black Milk, “[‘Black NASA ft. Sam Austins’] represents a place where I—and many people of color are from. We have to make something out of nothing, as opposed to people who are handed the tools for success.”

Continuing the sonic experimentation and politically-charged atmosphere of his 2018 album FEVER, DiVEfinds Black Milk with an eye on the future, contemplating the next decade with equal parts hope and trepidation. Recruiting a group of ace session musicians from his hometown, Black Milk fine-tunes his incendiary blend of rock, funk, rap, soul, and electronic, which can switch from hard-charging to smooth to ethereal at the drop of a hat. Spanning 11-tracks, the EP flows from front-to-back with seamless transitions, mimicking the free-wheeling creativity of the album’s author. With vocal contributions from BJ The Chicago Kid, Detroit artist Sam Austins, and Black’s younger brother MAHD, DiVE arrives on August 2nd via Mass Appeal Records/Computer Ugly.

Listen to “Black Nasa” ft. Sam Austins and pre-order DiVE: https://BlackMilk.lnk.to/DiVEPR

Please contact Michelle or Kierra if interested in talking with Black Milk.

The Background:

Over the past 15 years, Black Milk has amassed a dynamic portfolio. After scoring his first credit for Slum Village as a teenager in 2002, he worked closely with the group and co-produced much of their next two albums. His self-released, full-length Sound of the City (2005) led to an independent deal, before international attention for the Soul-sample-driven style on his proper solo debut Popular Demand (2007). Five additional solo rap albums followed (Tronic, Album of the Year, No Poison No Paradise, Glitches in the Break, If There’s A Hell Below, FEVER), as well as an instrumental LP (Synth or Soul), and a live effort (The Rebellion Sessions) with his touring band Nat Turner. The sprawling and versatile discography also features collaborative LPs (including Black and Brown with Danny Brown as well as Random Axe with Guilty Simpson and the late Sean Price), two singles with Jack White, plus production highlights involving Brown, Kendrick Lamar and Earl Sweatshirt (“Really Doe”), and recent songs for Mick Jenkins and Marlon Craft. His 2018 album FEVER earned critical acclaim from the likes of Pitchfork, The Guardian, The 405, DJ Booth, and more. Through it all, Black Milk is widely recognized as one of music’s most acclaimed live acts as well as an elite artist who has always embraced creative evolution and change.

Links:

official site | twitter | facebook | youtube | soundcloud | bandcamp

Bio, pictures and streams available here: http://www.audibletreats.com/black-milk

“Black NASA” ft. Sam Austins”: https://blackmilk.lnk.to/DiVEPR

“If U Say” ft. BJ The Chicago Kid: https://blackmilk.lnk.to/DiVEPR

Pre-order DiVE: https://blackmilk.lnk.to/DiVEPR