Sun Zulu x Mydus - Black Butterfly
Enigmatic lyricist Sun Zulu and renowned producer Mydus return to reveal Black Butterfly, the second visual offering from their masterful new album Asrah.
Black Butterfly is a reference to ‘The Black Butterfly,’ a term coined by Morgan State University Professor Lawrence Brown to describe a history of systemic practices and their tangible impact upon the city of Baltimore. It follows the narrative of a Black man growing up in this system; visually depicting his impact on those closest to him.
“A young man in the wilderness from Baltimore / Life put me on the Mirror’s Edge - I learned parkour!” - Sun Zulu
Driven by an infectious horn and buttery drums, Mydus’ smooth beat merges with Sun’s deep & honest lyrics to tell the story of Black Butterfly - a powerful message about the resilience of men and women in the face of adversity. Shot & directed by True & Livin’ Development, nature and human emotion fuses with anime and other imagery to showcase the creativity and uniqueness of the emcee/producer duo.
“I’m just tryna grow, who will I be? Will my life have an impact?” - Sun Zulu
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Sun Zulu x Mydus - Asrah
Asrah is the incredible new album by Baltimore-bred lyricist Sun Zulu and renowned Miami-based producer Mydus. It follows the journey of Sun in his pursuit to explore and uncover the meaning of his own identity. Growing up, it was Sun's refuge in hip hop that allowed him to escape societal constraints through his imagination. After writing a book report on “Long Walk to Freedom” by Nelson Mandela in the 4th grade, Sun began to tell his own story through writing rhymes. He developed a deep yearning to understand the culture of Hip Hop and what the South African influence was on it through the Zulu name.
This desire was buried until Sun received an opportunity to travel to South Africa for a project later in life. He connected with Mydus and began to elaborate on that connection through the vessel of music - creating a new form of retrospective with motifs bridging the gaps to symbolize the perilousness of Sun’s journey. This is a journey that was altered due to the untimely passing of interview subjects, a global pandemic and the actual trip back from Africa to America!
Asrah is the first album of its kind to record actual perspectives in a creative way and give context to the Zulu identity’s connection to Hip Hop culture in modern American society. Witty & honest lyrics often come hand in hand with the profound themes of the project. Sun’s smooth flow also melds beautifully with the soulful production of the Miami maestro Mydus for an album that is equal parts Boom Bap and Trap yet forges a new era masterpiece. The project features underground and international guest features that directly tie to the narrative - such as Skyzoo, Graveyard Shifter, and Nyota Parker.
“They say Asrah is a type of illusion in magic that simulates levitation. The appearance of floating in air, to me, symbolically represents my search to discover an American link to the Zulu through Hip Hop. You have to suspend your belief in order to free your mind, and you’ll find the ‘why’. These are the lessons I learned on that journey to understand why (I am who I am)”
- Sun Zulu
Sun Zulu x Mydus have worked with a plethora of talented artists including EarthGang, Skyzoo, King Mez and Michael Christmas and have been featured in publications such as Okayplayer, DJ BOOTH, and 2DopeBoyz. Accolades include winning ‘Best New Artist’ at the 2009 Baltimore Crown Awards, 2009 Minnesota Twin Cities "Next Up" award and most recently Sun Zulu won an award for "Outstanding Use of Sound" in 2020 from the Chesapeake Associated Press Broadcasters Association.
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