Photo by Brian Ziff
Coming in to rip through the despondent energy of the year that is 2020, is none other than Duckwrth with his second studio album, SuperGood. Known to the government as Jared Lee, and to the journalists who attended his Zoom press conference as Voldemort (due to his screen name), his latest album detailing a dream night out with a potential lover, helps melt away the realities of the life that begins after hitting snooze for the third time in the morning. As the Zoom call began, we were met by a pink haired and white tank top donned Duckwrth sitting outside in front of a sign welcoming road trippers to a Mcguireville, Arizona rest stop. Just as humble and carefree as when I briefly met him and his band before their performance at a backyard Urban Outfitters show at SXSW 2016, Lee described his latest work as a “lifestyle and rhythm project”. Meaning that its intended purpose is for listeners to bust out their groovy “Money Dance” and take the music with them wherever they please. Using 70’s inspired melodies, smooth vocals from Lee and fellow sonically talented friends, and lyrics that drop you straight into the red velvet hued storyboard completely fleshed out as each track comes with its own visualizer you quickly realize the segue of genres, as he calls the blend, perhaps due to his assorted musical influences ranging from soul, jazz, and gospel while in the studio and the punk attitude of bands like Bad Brains while performing.
When listening to SuperGood, you can instantly tell the 16 - track album was created by someone who’s been around for a bit, both in life and musically as he now reflects on his earlier projects dating back to 2015 as him “experimenting with different sounds and vocal ranges, and then figuring out what people respond to the most”. Lee, now age 32, elaborates about growing up in Los Angeles in the late 90’s and early 00’s. Though he created his own utopia usually spending his time at home listening to OutKast while drawing his favorite superheroes realizing that if he himself could have a super power it’d be to have the ability to “taking what’s happening on the outside world and regurgitate it in art form”, there was still trauma that occurred due to the gang activity in the neighborhoods and schools. His learned survival skills from that time in his life have armored him with a “backbone” able to handle all aspects of being an “artist, a man, and a businessman”. While Duckwrth acknowledges the work he’s done to hone his craft, he is also not shy to let us know that he wouldn’t be here on his own as he’s “learned that [he’s] only as strong as the people around”. Citing his artistic DNA for how he provides most of the lyrical content for his music, he does not play instruments or produce leaving room for his sound to become a collective creation beautifully shown in the behind the scenes video of the making of the title song, “Super Good”.
Giving us a bit more insight into how the album was made, we learn that the 70’s were chosen in particular as influence for the sound and album art as it was a time “of celebration for Black people”. A time after the Civil Rights Movement where they could be in their “own original essence and eclectic style”. In terms of production, Lee shares that the most difficult song to put together was the opener, “New Love Song”. Wanting to tip his hat to his childhood introduction to music in the church, he decided to sample “Jesus Is A Love Song” by The Clark Sisters. After recording the rap and bridge for the song, Duckwrth had to let it marinate for three weeks as he thought out how to maintain the secularity of his music while paying homage to the gospel track. In collaborative essence, a trio of female vocalists were added as a reflection of the three Clark Sisters to complete the number proving that good things are worth the wait.
When the state of music and artistry right now was brought up, the discussion of what an authentic artist comes about. Duckwrth lets us in on his pledge to create as a healthy artist after seeing how many unhealthy artists there are out there “bringing on their own demise” through drug abuse and the physical abuse of others trying to live this “rockstar lifestyle”. “I don’t fuck with that”, he states imploring the importance of staying true to yourself and creating music that lasts; “not fast food hits that don’t help the culture”.
Photo by Simone Niamani
In response to the political climate of the year, Lee provides a calming wisdom to the call filled of many concerned for what’s to come with the upcoming U.S. election and all that has transpired since the last one in 2016. “If you zoom out of life and you just look at Earth’s history, I just feel like a lot of racism was swept under the rug and was very passive. It takes a lot of energy, light or dark, to dig up this shit and be able to show for face value what America really is”. Taking on this mentality can help those with anxiety as what is done is done and, in some ways, out of our control now. Not lending the people to helplessness, he continues on to say “I like local politics and legislation more. I feel like you can always start in your community, I’m hoping things will get better, but I know it will have to get bloody because that’s what America understands. It understands war and it understands capitalism. So, when you fuck with people’s pockets or fuck with their lives, that’s when people pay attention. Every storm is temporary and I’m glad all the disgusting stuff that was swept under the rug is now in our face”.
For those who may counter Duckwrth’s words with a. “Stick to making music!”, it’s important to know that change is happening in the industry as well. Though not a new topic, more attention has been brought to how Black people especially in the industry are boxed into the Hip-Hop and R&B genres even when their music is far from it. Taking his own advice and starting local in all aspects of his life, Lee has recently become a Grammy member in hopes of creating change in the system from within its cogs.
Photo by Simone Niamani
Now that his album, an affirmation of all of the good feelings life can bring, is out, Duckwrth plans to expand on the album in various mediums and see all the work he can do for his hometown community of South Central, Los Angeles.
Be sure to stream SuperGood on Spotify or Apple Music and keep up with Duckwrth on Instagram!
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