TV legend and social critic Bill Cosby has announced a new album aimed at bringing socially conscious lyrics to the forefront of Hip-Hop.
The new project is titled Bill Cosby Presents the Cosnarati: State of Emergency, and will be available directly though Cosbys social media network site www.billcosby.com.
Cosby, a veteran of several comedy and music albums, serves as the executive producer. Although he does no actual rapping, he is responsible for conceiving all the narrative concepts for each track.
When describing the music, Bill Cosby explained it as a declaration of a new direction rather than an indictment of the current Hip-Hop scene.
“I don’t like referring to the music as clean, Cosby said in a statement. What I like is what you’re not going to do. You’re not going to curse. You’re not going to put women down. You’re not going to put the glory of the gun somewhere. And you’re not going to put a whole lot of violence up front like that’s the thing that will cleanse you and make you feel better.”
The production is handled by William Spaceman Patterson (Miles Davis, LL Cool J, Eric Clapton, Alicia Keys) and Ced-Gee, co-founder of the seminal Hip-Hip collective the Ultramagnetic MCs.
The album will mix elements of Hip-Hop, R&B, jazz, pop, rock, and funk. Song titles include Wheres the Parade, honoring black women, Dad Behind the Glass, about absent fathers, and Get on Your Job, detailing self-responsibility.
Bill Cosby and the Cosnarati Band will premier on October 19 via a virtual town hall meeting in New York City. The presentation is courtesy of Ustream and commences at 7PM. Additionally, the concert will be available on www.billcosby.com and www.facebook.com/billcosby.
At press time, Bill Cosbys The Cosnarati: State of Emergency is set to have a physical and digital release on November 24.