Asheville’s own Josh Blake has just released a new video for his 2020 homage to the music community, “All My Peoples”. The track is part of his Blake’s Unemployment Benefits, his lockdown beat tape-turned-collaborative hip-hop showcase released last October.
Unemployment Benefits is packed with featured artists virtually top-to-bottom. Blake’s former Granola Funk Express cohorts Agent 23, Foulmouth Jerk, Adam Strange, and percussionist Johnny Durkin (Deep Banana Blackout) all make appearances, as do local Ashevillians like Spaceman Jones, Shreve The Professor, and Jamar Woods (The Fritz).
Related: Inside Josh Blake’s Hip-Hop LP, ‘Unemployment Benefits’ [Review/Interview]
With the textured “All My Peoples”, however, Blake aimed to use his only solo verses on the album to pay homage not just to the artists in his direct circle but to everyone in the music world trying to make it work during amid widespread shutdowns. “I wanted to put something out that would speak to people in the music industry right now who are struggling with all the changes we are dealing with because of the pandemic,” Blake told Live For Live Music about the track in a 2020 interview.
In the new “All My Peoples” music video, Blake takes the viewer through different snapshots of his life as a musician and producer during the pandemic. Between performing socially distant shows, recording in the studio with masks, and helping his kids with home schooling, Blake remains graceful as he balances the unexpected lifestyle. Lines like “Success is in the reach, and I’ve got nothing to prove” ring out as it’s clear there’s nothing stopping Blake from working harder than ever. Despite everything, he continues to put out and perform music, and work together to help as many musicians as he can.
In addition to the song’s unifying message for the industry, Blake is aiming to further give back to the community by donating proceeds from Unemployment Benefits album sales during the month of May to Backline, the music industry’s mental health and wellness hub. You can grab your Unemployment Benefits vinyl here.
“Making music to create positive change is my life’s work,” Blake explains of the new visuals. “This album was my pandemic project, fully supported by the friends and fans who contributed to its creation. That’s why I’m excited to bring it full circle with this record for the month of May, and use its creation to drive some attention and dollars to an organization like Backline, which supports so many in the music industry. Taking care of each other is what it’s all about, and the track ‘All My Peoples’ will have achieved its destiny through this particular effort.”
Check out the new music video for “All My Peoples” by Josh Blake below. To listen to all of Unemployment Benefits or grab a copy of the album, head to Blake’s Bandcamp page.
Josh Blake – “All My Peoples” (Official Video)
[Video: Josh Blake]
A seasoned musician, producer, and engineer, Blake has over 20 years in the music industry, is Grammy-nominated, and remains a pillar of the Asheville music scene. His most steady gigs right now are as the guitar player for the legendary Tuesday Night Funk Jam at the Asheville Music Hall every week, and playing with his organ trio JBOT. For more on Josh Blake, head to his website or follow him on Instagram.