Music Minute: All One Tribe

Tuff Gong International and Aya World Productions are releasing the first Black collaborative family music album titled All One Tribe on Juneteenth, June 19th, 2021.The 25-track project from the newly organized 1 Tribe Collective celebrates the rich culture and diversity that Black voices bring to family music by presenting  the sounds of 24 family music artists from across the country.   All One Tribe spans musical genres and is suitable for families and children of all ages. The track list addresses topics of STEM, vaccinations, family, Black history, and the beauty of  differences. Their collective single, “One Tribe” brings the artists together for an energetic expression of universal belonging and unity. “If we can dance together, we can live together,” the artists affirm. “We are one love, one light, one heart, one mind, one tribe for life.”

Shawana “Shine” Kemp, co-producer of All One Tribe, is hopeful for what this historic project means for the family music industry at large. “The family music arena is a predominantly white space, even though Black artists have been here for over a decade,” she says. “This project is a step in the direction of equity for Black family music artists.”  In 2020, the overt exclusion of Black “Best Children’s Album” Grammy nominees sparked a larger conversation about lack of representation in the family music space. That, combined with nationwide protests following the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, inspired Kemp and fellow musicians Amelia Robinson and Aaron Nigel Smith to join forces and bring this project to life.  "I’m so excited to drop this music for the world! All of the artists bring pure vibes and share songs that uplift black and brown voices in creative, and meaningful ways," says co-producer Smith.  The  project sets out to expand public awareness of the excitement and excellence of these diverse children’s songwriters, and to remind the world that Black families do not represent a monolith. The 1 Tribe Collective hopes to reprogram society’s perception of Black youth while giving young people and families permission to live out loud and celebrate their uniqueness. We need Black leadership at the table,” says Amelia Robinson, co-producer of All One Tribe.“ You can’t do a project about Black lives without Black voices.”  One Tribe Collective’s debut album releases on June 19, 2021, and will be available on all streaming platforms. Pre-orders will be available on May 25 in honor of George Floyd. A portion of album proceeds will go towards a nonprofit which supports Black lives. Families may tune in to a special livestream album release event on June 11th on the Tuff Gong International Facebook and YouTube pages. The event will feature live performances, music video features and interviews with artists from the album. For more information on the artists, and to stream the project and watch the debut music video, visit www.1TribeCollective.com.