Photo Courtesy of Google Images.
Solange Knowles, owner of Saint Records record label, is also a model, actress and singer. She created buzz the last week of February around a suspected upcoming project. The entertainer released a multitude of aesthetically fulfilling images, one of which was a black background with several small images of the singer and words spread across the image, which excited fans soon speculated it was a track list for an upcoming album.
Solange released her fourth studio album at midnight Friday, March 1, ending Black History Month and beginning Women’s History Month on a majestic note. She displayed yet again her Black girl magic.
Just three years ago, Solange released her third studio album, “A Seat at the Table,” which was an album addressing problems in the Black community and a celebration of brown skin through songs like “Mad,” “Don't Touch My Hair,” “Where Do We Go,” and “F.U.B.U.”
Solange’s latest album is titled “When I Get Home,” a non traditional upbeat modern jazz sound that once again emphasizes the beauty of being Black and tapping into spirituality as she melodically sings about the art of manifestation containing songs like “Things I Imagined.” “Dreams,” “My Skin My Logo,” and “Binz.”
Fans raved about the release on social media, but Solange did not just drop an album with only a few days notice and minimal advertisement, but she also released a 33-minute visual with every song on her album. The visual contained all Black dancers and models to go along with her Black girl magic aesthetic. The women were wearing nudes matching their skin tones and each had natural hairstyles.
The popular songs on the album are the opening that was previewed as a tease before the official album release, “Things I Imagined” and “Almeda.”
“My Skin, My Logo” featuring Gucci Mane stood out due to the double meaning. It could be a response to the allegedly racist turtleneck Gucci, the designer company, debuted at a recent fashion show causing the image to go viral and receiving major backlash.
The song exhibits a sense of care-freeness with the first verse being a freestyle by Solange repeatedly referring to Gucci Mane, the second verse is a response from Gucci Mane to Solange as he refers to her as Solo. As for the name of the song, it is a topic that is now being brought to light in hip hop with the message that “being Black” or copying black culture is now a trend since Black culture seems to be the blueprint to mainstream trends. “My Skin, My Logo” is a direct representation of that.
Solange has done it again with this newly released album. Listening to it, I do in fact feel at home.