McKinley Dixon Unveils New Album 'Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?'

Critically acclaimed Chicago-based rapper McKinley Dixon releases his new album, Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? It marks his official full-length debut for City Slang Records. 

The 10-track Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? unspools as a powerful pastiche of sound and emotion. The title pays homage to Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison’s immortal trilogy of novels who McKinley has previously referred to as “the greatest rapper ever.” As such, he continues her tradition of intense introspection and uplifting escapism with a sobering perspective on the modern American experience.

In a similar fashion, he delivers deliberate and dynamic lyricism befitting of her creative cadence. Rounding out the vision, the LP also boasts guest appearances from poet and writer Hanif Abdurraqib, Teller Bank$, Alfred., Ghais Guevara, Anjimile, Seline Haze, and more. The project notably features “Dedicated to Tar Feather” featuring Boston-based folk artist Anjimile, which serves as a message to McKinley’s younger self set to symphonic instrumentals. It is intended to juxtapose “B.B.N.E.” from his 2021 album For My Mama And Anyone Who Look Like Her.

“Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? is my ode to the coming-of-age movie, the book you read that really stuck with you forever that one summer and the photo you look back on when you want to feel held again,” McKinley says of the project, “It’s a record that has immeasurable importance to me and my family, so I hope you can feel that, too.”

He paved the way for the album with singles “Sun, I Rise” feat. Angélica Garcia, “Tyler, Forever,” “Run, Run, Run,” and of course the title track “Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?” Hypebeast cited “Tyler, Forever” among its “Best New Tracks” and attested, “the promising young talent flexes his vocals over layers of jazz instrumentals, blending grittiness, melancholy and appreciation in a single honoring his late friend Tyler.”

CLASH christened it as “beautifully stark” and noted, “‘Tyler, Forever’ fuses club sounds with adventurous jazz elements, while lyrically he’s exploring trauma, grief, and attempting to move forwards.”

In addition to music videos for his single McKinley released what he dubbed, a “Kitchen Table session” for each track. Inspired by Carrie Mae Weems’ seminal photo collection, The Kitchen Tables Series – a collection known for exploring the self in collective experiences at a kitchen table and a landmark in Black representation in American fine art. The performances showcased raw and immediate energy and McKinley’s maestro performance style.

Following on the heels of successful SXSW showcase sets and supporting dates with GRAMMY-nominated supergroup Tank And The Bangas, McKinley wraps up his European tour with performances in London on June 7 at Rough Trade East and Paris on June 12 at Le Hasard Ludique, beforing making his way to Berlin on June 15 for DE @ HHV (In-store) and a set at CitySlang33 – a show to celebrate the label’s 33rd-anniversary on June 16 in Berlin.

He also adds additional fall US dates in Chicago, Brooklyn, and closes off his tour with a special stop in his old stomping grounds at Gallery 5 in Richmond, VA on September 15. Most recently, McKinley was added to the Pitchfork Music Festival London lineup; he will perform at EartH Hall on November 9. All tickets may be purchased HERE. 

Photo Credit: Jimmy Fontaine