Up First from NPR · Podcast summary
A Wild West revenge tale and the Black roots of cowboy culture
Shaboozey, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, discusses his new album, "The Outlaw, Sherry Lee, and Other Western Tales," a high-concept project that fuses hip-hop with country, spoken word, and ballads, all while exploring the Black roots of cowboy culture.
Listen on the show ↗Key takeaways
- 🌟Maisha Raskou reflects on Dolly Parton's influence, appreciating her "larger-than-life style" and how it inspired her to embrace her own unique self.0:23
- 🎬Shaboozey's album features spoken word pieces by notable figures like Jamie Foxx and Sam Elliott, reflecting his ambition to create an album that feels like a movie with an ensemble cast.1:17
- 🤝Despite the success of "A Bar Song (Tipsy)," Shaboozey's team was surprisingly supportive of his decision to create a concept album, believing he had "earned" the right to pursue his artistic vision.1:54
- 🤠Shaboozey's love for country music stems from his Virginia roots and a desire to celebrate the rich, diverse history of music in his home state, including its often-overlooked Black country artists.1:56
- 🐎Shaboozey highlights that historically, one in every four cowboys was Black, and many were Latin American, challenging the traditional, often whitewashed, image of the cowboy.2:19
- 🐺The song "Coyote's Point" symbolizes Sherry Lee's transformation from a small-town girl to an outlaw, illustrating how life's events can shape one's identity.2:38
Chapters
- 0:06Introduction to Shaboozey and His New Album
- 0:40The Story of Sherry Lee
- 1:47Spoken Word and Ensemble Cast
- 2:49The Perfect Moment for Sherry Lee
- 3:09The Black Roots of Country Music
- 3:29Coyote's Point and Transformation
The digest
Maisha Raskou opens the Sunday Story by reflecting on the recent passing of a country music great, Dolly Parton. Raskou shares her admiration for Parton's larger-than-life style, her Imagination Library, and her children's literacy program. She sees a bit of herself in Dolly, particularly in Parton's embrace of a flamboyant style that isn't subtle or classic, but rather a "bit over the top" and "gaudy." Raskou appreciates how Dolly Parton's confidence allowed her to embrace her own unique self.
In honor of Dolly Parton, Raskou introduces Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Shaboozey, a member of the next generation of country musicians who also refuses to compromise his vision and style. Shaboozey is known for his features on Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter and his chart-topping single "A Bar Song (Tipsy)," which spent 19 weeks at the top of the Billboard charts. However, his latest record, "The Outlaw, Sherry Lee, and Other Western Tales," offers a different vibe, as heard in the song "Sweet Revenge."
The Epic Life of Sherry Lee
"Sweet Revenge" is the fifth song on Shaboozey's genre-defying album, which tells the epic story of the titular outlaw, Sherry Lee, and her quest for vengeance. The album is a high-concept feat of storytelling, fusing hip-hop with country, spoken word, and ballads. It even comes with a comic book that expands Sherry Lee's world. Shaboozey hopes the album serves as a reminder and celebration of the Black roots of Western cowboy culture. He emphasizes, "Just me, I'm a representation. I am Black, I am in country music, I am... there's nothing you can do to take that from me."
Shaboozey explains that Sherry Lee's character "kind of birthed in my brain." When he started working on the album six or seven years ago, he wanted to create an outlaw group that came into a town and took over. In the chaos, they accidentally took the life of the sheriff, who had a daughter—Sherry Lee—now seeking vengeance. Shaboozey notes that when he writes stories, characters sometimes just "birth out of nowhere" and take on a life of their own, and he simply documents their journey. He believes that as an artist, everything is rooted in some sort of life experience, and this album has helped him process many things he's experienced in his own life. He suggests that "everyone has a little outlaw and a little cowboy to them," and that many women who have existed in or come across his life have changed him in some way, influencing Sherry Lee's character.
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- Spoken Word and an Ensemble Cast
- The Perfect Moment for Sherry Lee
- The Black Roots of Country Music
- Becoming a Coyote
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