Just in time for Juneteenth and Black Music Month, GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter Brian Courtney Wilson taps GRAMMY-winning SoulBounce darling Ledisi for a remake of the classic Black love anthem “Be Real Black For Me,” originally sung by Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack.
A gospel artist with soulful execution, we see why this song would resonate with Wilson and why partnering with the soulful songtress to deliver the cover was the perfect fit. The original is a lover’s affirmation that the love is Black, unconditional and true. Wilson and Ledisi recreate that same magic with their own special blend of smooth crooning and swelling harmonies. We get to see some of their chemistry during the recording session for this track in the black-and-white lyric video that you'll surely find yourself singing along to.
Released as the B-side to Flack and Hathaway's "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" in September 1971, "Be Real Black For Me" debuted at a pivotal time in Black history. It was a time of Black pride, Black power and Black people rejecting the false narratives about our hair, our bodies and our humanity that were foisted upon us. The timeliness of this remake’s release is not lost on us. Fifty years later, Brian Courtney Wilson and Ledisi’s cover of “Be Real Black For Me” hits home as we now celebrate Juneteenth for the first time as a national holiday during Black Music Month.
Make some room in your music collections for Brian Courtney Wilson and Ledisi's "Be Real Black For Me" alongside Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack's original. The single is available now from your choice of digital music services.
