Is Athens a nice place? A magical, mythical oasis of creativity and love? Maybe, but Athens is also a small Southern town where old gatekeepers make snap decisions based on the color of someone else’s skin. When Wesley Johnson brought the WesdaRuler fire to Athens Popfest last month, he told us that the story tucked in downtempo bop “Holditdown” really happened: namely, a white bouncer blocked a black dude from re-entering a bar, and everyone present stood by and watched. If you’ve kept tabs on the local news, you shouldn’t be surprised; the heated debates that flared around the town police this summer prove that good chunks of the community still don’t trust people of color. But on “Holditdown,” Johnson reprimands the bystanders more than the gatekeepers: “Don’t just run your fucking mouth, be about the things you speak about.” It’s a timely reminder for the mostly white community, and likely not the last from the boom bap OG as he preps for his upcoming album.
More Info
Bandcamp: wesdaruler.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @wesdaruler
Instagram: @wesdaruler
SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/wesdaruler
Twitter: @WesdaRuler