NEWS
Leven Kali
Quincy BanksThis year, Billboard celebrates Black History Month with different playlists catered to “Black Love.” We’ve handpicked artists, producers and songwriters to highlight songs that best embody the amorous theme and explain why these records give them that butterfly feeling every time. Be on that lookout every Tuesday and Thursday for new playlists from some of your favorite names in music.
Singer-songwriter-producer Leven Kali has been lending his talents to a multitude of R&B and hip-hop stars for years. He’s earned writing and production credits on Drake’s Billboard 200-topping mixtape More Life, Jazmine Sullivan’s new deluxe version of her Grammy-nominated EP Heaux Tales and KYLE’s latest album It’s Not So Bad. He also appeared on Playboi Carti’s critically acclaimed self-titled tape, Maeta’s debut EP Habits and Topaz Jones’ LP Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma.
But when it comes to his solo material, the Netherlands-born, California-bred artist continues diving deeper into the G-funk bass lines that are perfect to cruise down the SoCal coast to, mixed with his heartfelt neo-soul melodies and irresistible charisma. After dropping his 2020 album HIGHTIDE, Kali is ready to take fans back on a ride with his new single “EEK,” out Friday (Feb. 18), from his upcoming project — and meet them on the road, since he and Col3trane will be supporting KYLE on tour starting next month.
“Black History Month is cool. But we always start with slavery. Black kids would grow up with way more confidence and pride having a connection to the traditions, music and spirituality from Africa before slavery,” Kali tells Billboard. “There’s royalty and wisdom in our blood. All the other minorities have a homeland to connect to, but we’ve lost the link between African Americans and Africa. Not cool.”
“I love the idea about Black Futures Month too,” he adds, which Ye has been promoting recently.
His Black History Month playlist blends India.Arie and D’Angelo’s self-assuring and reassuring soulful melodies, with Future’s dazed and amused bars, and The Neptunes’ spin on a Sade classic. “These are some of my favorite love songs. Good love, bad love, self love, family love, God’s love. It’s all love. Music is love,” he says.
Below, Kali dives into every track on his playlist in his own words:
1. D’Angelo, “Alright”
Reassurance in love. Bass line on this song gets me every time too.
2. Stevie Wonder, “Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You)”
It always f—s me up thinking that he was 21 when he made this. It’s a masterpiece, so deep, and the transition from part one to two is crazy. My mom used to play this in the car a lot.
3. Sade, “By Your Side (Neptunes Remix)”
The feeling in her voice — and The Neptune’s flip — beautiful.
4. India.Arie, “Video”
Self-love song.
5. Michael Jackson, “Butterflies”
Always seemed so dope to me that Michael wanted to get on a track like this, always evolving his sound.
6. Future, “Rich $ex”
Lots of songs today talk about the drama and the toxicity in love, but on this track, he’s talking about making love, passion — classic.
7. Mint Condition, “Breakin’ My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)”
The lead singer Stokely is singing his heart out and the band is going off the whole time. Love that. Tons of energy, but it’s all perfectly arranged.
8. Ye (Kanye West), “Family Business”
Even though they got drama, you gotta have love for your family.
9. Ms. Lauryn Hill, “Tell Him”
Everything about this song: Her voice. The lyrics. The harmonies sound like a waterfall.
10. Marvin Gaye, “Is That Enough”
It sounds so good you don’t realize he’s talking about divorce. “Why do I have to pay attorney fees?!” What a bar.
11. Leon Ware, “Learning How to Love You”
I love finding out who worked on my favorite music and connecting those dots. Leon produced a lot with Marvin Gaye. You’ll hear it immediately, his solo music is dope.
12. Otis Redding, “Try a Little Tenderness”
The way this song builds and opens up reminds me of how love grows between people. The music shows you how connected R&B and gospel has always been.
Check out Kali’s “Black Love” playlist below.
Not for the first time, Moby is speaking out against Donald Trump’s administration with clear frustration.
“The U.S. is collapsing under a deeply corrupt and shockingly ineffective administration,” the longtime electronic musician shared on social media. “These are unbelievably dark times.”
Moby went deeper into his thoughts through a video message, where he explained that people outside the United States keep asking Americans what is actually happening in the country.
“So many of my friends outside the United States keep asking me, ‘what the hell is happening over there?’ And honestly, we don’t even know,” he said. “The country is being controlled by one of the most corrupt, dangerous and incompetent administrations imaginable. Nobody fully understands what’s happening right now. These are very dark times in America.”
Moby joins a growing list of artists publicly criticizing Trump and MAGA politics, including Bruce Springsteen, Jack White, Eminem and Billie Eilish.
Earlier this year, Moby uploaded another statement to social media where he addressed how people should respond following the killing of Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minneapolis. “The real question isn’t whether people should feel horrified or outraged by what’s happening in the United States,” Moby explained in the Jan. 26 clip. “The question is what are we actually going to do about it?”
The musician and activist also encouraged people to protest, saying demonstrations are a constitutional right and something he believes Trump’s administration is attempting to weaken.
In the end, he urged people to vote regularly, “not only during the upcoming midterms, even though those matter, but also in every special election throughout the year.” He also encouraged supporters to “stop giving money to the scumbag corporations backing Trump and ICE. We all know who they are. Boycott them.”
His newest remarks arrive as the U.S. Justice Department unveils a nearly $1.8 billion compensation fund for Trump allies who claim they were unfairly investigated. At the same time, the Strait of Hormuz remains shut down following military action launched by the U.S. and Israel against Iran in late February without approval from Congress, leading to rising gas prices across the globe.
Throughout his independent music career, Moby has earned 10 entries on the Billboard 200 along with two songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and an enormous catalog of sync placements. Overseas, particularly in the United Kingdom, he is viewed as one of the defining artists of his era. He scored two No. 1 albums there with Play from 1999 and 18 from 2002, alongside 18 top 40 singles and two nominations for Best International Male at the BRIT Awards.
Check out Moby’s newest social media post below.
