This Friday is a holiday known as Juneteenth. On this day in 1865, General Gordon Granger federally proclaimed that all enslaved people were now free in the state of Texas. Though the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed two years prior, its impacts were slow and varied within the South. Texas was the last state to officially recognize this decree, and thus Juneteenth became a community holiday.
In celebration of Juneteenth (from midnight to midnight), this year and every subsequent year, Bandcamp has committed to donating “100% of [their] share of sales to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.” They have further agreed to allocate $30,000 of their yearly budget to “partner with organizations that fight for racial justice and create opportunities for people of color.”
For the past few months during quarantine, Bandcamp has also been doing “Bandcamp Day” sales, in which they waive their portion of proceeds so that artists on their platform earn the entirety of the sale. WKNC reminded our audience to support local musicians on each previous Bandcamp Day, and for this Juneteenth edition we want to highlight specifically local Black musicians. The following list contains ten artists that WKNC has booked and promoted in the past who have music and/or merch available for purchase on Bandcamp.
Black Surfer was the second act of the second night of Double Barrel Benefit 17, and released their sophomore EP Run It Byke in the following month. Recently they raised $7,000 for Take Action Chapel Hill through merchandise sales on Instagram.
You can connect with Black Surfer on social media at @blacksurferband on both Instagram and Facebook, and check out their podcast done with DJ Beowvlf before Double Barrel Benefit.
King Gino performed on night one of Double Barrel Benefit 17 and brought the house down. He also spearheads an artist collective called Callisto Records, for which our very own Underground Music Director Nate Browning also works. King Gino also did a podcast before performing at Double Barrel Benefit.
Here are the links to King Gino’s social media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and the Callisto Records website.
Pat Junior is a jack of all trades who has his hands in every artistic medium that catches his eye or ear. He is another Double Barrel Benefit 17 performer and headlined night two. Much like his predecessors on this link, Pat Junior also did a podcast with WKNC, which you can listen to for more information about his artistic journey and his most recent album, I Thought I Knew.
Pat Junior is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
GRRL
GRRL rocked our world at Double Barrel Benefit 16, and really did us a huge favor hopping on that show at the last minute. This electronic maven is a staple of the Triangle house scene and a favorite of WKNC’s. Listen to GRRL’s interview with Afterhours Music Director, Liz and Social Media Director, Becca, here. Furthermore, GRRL’s next full-length album, Marathon, will be released on July 3, but you can already preorder it on Bandcamp now.
You can also connect with GRRL on Instagram and Facebook.
Switching it up from Double Barrel acts, Linanthem worked with WKNC in the fall of 2019 performing at our annual Concert on the Lawn series with future Double Barrel artist, DOTWAV Media. Linanthem is also a current NC State student and up-and-coming in the Triangle scene. His music is self-described as “chilled hip-hop beats and jazz vibes” which sounds like the ideal summer vibe.
Here’s some social media links for ya: Facebook and Instagram.
Sonny Miles and WKNC have collaborated a handful of times, but most recently at a Concert on the Lawn in 2018. This prolific multi-instrumentalist seems to be constantly releasing music and for that we are grateful. His most recent single, Arbor Day, is available on Bandcamp along with the rest of his discography. Sonny has also been incredibly outspoken about current events on his social media, which we similarly urge you to check out.
His Instagram is @sonnyformiles and his Facebook is also linked.
What can we say except for the fact that the Muslims ROCK?! They performed at Double Barrel 15 but have also done a Local Beat session back in 2018, which you can stream on all podcasting platforms. Their most recent album, Gentrified Chicken, is brash in-your-face rage rock that never quits and does not leave a safe space.
Obviously, you can get connected with The Muslims on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, but to further get involved you can submit a clip to their crowd-sourced music video through Saturday. More details on that video can be found on their website.
Deniro Farrar has perhaps grown beyond the limited label of “local” and become an icon in his own right, but as he was a performer at Double Barrel Benefit 13 so we’ve still got a spot in WKNC history for him. Deniro’s fanbase has been called “cult like” based on its rapid growth and intense fan involvement.
If you’re unfamiliar with his work, check out his Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, as well as the music he has uploaded on Bandcamp.
Hailing from Carrboro, North Carolina, this local artist kicked off his expansive musical career while also being a Ph.D. student at UNC-Chapel Hill. WKNC is honored to have booked XOXOK for our Concert on the Lawn in Fall of 2017. It is fitting that XOXOK make it onto this list, not only for his musical prowess, but also for the content of his most recent single “Right On.” XOXOK explains this song’s purpose on his Bandcamp page, but an excerpt is written below. You can read the entire passage on his artist link above.
“On July 5, 2016, I defended my doctoral dissertation at the University of North Carolina. The next day, approximately 1100 miles away, Philando Castile was shot and killed in Minnesota. Each one of these shootings has taken a toll on me, but for some reason, this one leveled me… I wrote this song as a reminder – to myself and to others – that my education is not a shield, and that I could be next.”
XOXOK’s social media is linked here: Instagram, Facebook and website.
Tim Mensa
Tim Mensa recently graduated from NC State University in the Class of 2020, but was able to connect with WKNC during his time as a student. He performed at one of our Concerts on the Lawn in 2018. Since that time Mensa has been rather active as a musician, though there is only one track available on his Bandcamp. Nonetheless, we encourage our audience to check it out for Bandcamp’s Juneteenth donation day. Here is Tim’s Instagram page.
Here is Tim’s Instagram page.
Beyond this list, Bandcamp has also compiled a list of Artists & Labels Offering Donations, Special Merch, & More During This Friday’s NAACP Fundraiser. This compilation extends far beyond North Carolina musicians, and even includes Björk’s entire discography (with 100% of proceeds going towards Black Lives Matter UK).
