New Music: Janelle Monáe & Wondaland - 'Hell You Talmbout'
Black lives matter. Janelle Monáe and her Wondaland Records family team up to pay tribute to the lives lost on the powerful “Hell You Talmbout.”
Over a marching beat, the Wondaland crew including Deep Cotton, St. Beauty, Jidenna, Roman GianArthur, George 2.0, and Janelle call out the names of their fallen brothers and sisters including Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Sean Bell, Freddie Gray, Sandra Bland, and Emmett Till.
They performed the song live for the first time during “The Eephus” tour kickoff in Philadelphia last night.
“This song is a vessel. It carries the unbearable anguish of millions,” said Wondaland in a statement. “We recorded it to channel the pain, fear, and trauma caused by the ongoing slaughter of our brothers and sisters. We recorded it to challenge the indifference, disregard, and negligence of all who remain quiet about this issue. Silence is our enemy. Sound is our weapon. They say a question lives forever until it gets the answer it deserves… Won’t you say their names?”
Wondaland will release its six-track EP Wondaland Presents: The Eephus on Friday, while “The Eephus” tour runs through Aug. 31.