Photo: Christone “Kingfish” Ingram by Laura Carbone, ‘Another Life Goes By (Mississippi Mix)’
On Tuesday, February 21, Grammy Award-winning blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and groundbreaking indie hip hop star—and fellow Mississippian—Big K.R.I.T. are premiering the video for their trailblazing collaboration on the remixed track, “Another Life Goes By (Mississippi Mix).” The cutting-edge song blends blues with rap to address racial injustice, while the video intercuts more than 50 years of protest footage with eye-opening evidence showing why the struggle must carry on today. The video was created and directed by noted filmmaker and photographer Ricardo Betancourt, who is known for the visceral power of his visual work, with an aim to heal through moving images.
“Another Life Goes By (Mississippi Mix)” is a bluntly-spoken and emotional track that displays the depth of Kingfish’s talent and the connection between the blues and hip-hop. His lyrics ask questions that shouldn’t have to be asked anymore and his guitar lines snap with true feeling. Indie rapper Big K.R.I.T. spits bars that echo and enhance the message the song carries. Together, the two men blur the lines between their genres and deliver a socially relevant work of art that the world needs to hear. Kingfish is the Truth of contemporary blues and songs like this one, along with its impactful music video, are what’s going to keep the music alive. Spin this and let it make you feel something.
According to Kingfish, “Being raised in Mississippi and living with both the joy and difficulty of growing up Black in America, this is a very personal track for me. The message in Another Life Goes By speaks to contemporary issues many people face. For K.R.I.T. to add his Southern flavor, further cementing the deep meaning of the song, is really special. I appreciate him joining me on this one.”
Watch “Another Life Goes By (Mississippi Mix)”
The remixed track (produced, mixed and mastered by Grammy Award-winner Tom Hambridge), with K.R.I.T. adding a captivating rap to Kingfish’s passionate vocals and thought-provoking lyrics, seamlessly blends hip hop’s raw urgency with the timelessness of the blues.
NPR’s World Cafe exclusively premiered the song (which in its original form appears on Ingram’s Grammy Award-winning album 662), airing the track on over 250 radio stations nationwide. Bruce Warren, Executive Producer of World Cafe, which originates from Philadelphia-based WXPN-FM, says, “When Kingfish meets Big K.R.I.T. on Another Life Goes By, lyrical and guitar sparks explode on this new take on one of Kingfish’s most reflective songs. K.R.I.T.’s verse gives the song a masterful sense of urgency with its societal commentary, balanced with Kingfish’s incredible guitar playing.”
Los Angeles-based NPR affiliate tastemaker radio station KCRW hosted the song as its Today’s Top Tune free download feature. According to Today’s Top Tune curator Ariana Morgenstern, “This track feels deep. Kingfish rivals the greats like Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan and B.B. King.”
The track has received widespread airplay across the globe, from New York’s WFUV to Dallas’ KXT to BBC2 in England. The song was one of the Most Added Singles on the North American College And Community (NACC) Hip Hop Chart in its debut week. Since the track’s release, Kingfish’s Spotify listenership has risen by an astounding 50%.
The pairing with Big K.R.I.T. was organic, as both artists share their Mississippi upbringings with similar musical tastes and a fanbase that is committed to both artists. Of Kingfish’s musicianship, No Depression says, “Ingram has no fear. His music transcends. [This is] the unveiling of a new and innovative path alongside a well-traveled Delta highway.” XXL magazine declares K.R.I.T. “One of the most lauded Southern poets of his generation…one of Rap’s most resilient M.C.’s.”
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram website
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