Backwood Sweetie’s Music Honors the Ancestors and Maintains Its Potency.
One of entertainment’s most popular adages is sex sells, but not if the owner isn’t for sale. In the case of DMV emcee Backwood Sweetie, her focus is on wielding her words and showcasing her raw wit and range. In the four years since she’s come onto the scene, she’s been intentional in her mission of showing her skill and honoring the legacy of the artists and people who came before us. Her 2021 debut album, Christina Shauntay, created the independent buzz that has followed her to this point and positioned her among the top tier of rappers male and female.
Her 2023 EP, Ancestral Aspect, builds on that legacy and brings life to the musical movement that the writer Sunez mentions termed “The Invisible Renaissance”.
The Project Wasn’t In My Plans.
Ancestral Aspect, a four-song EP released in August, started as nothing more than a moment of inspiration that arose from one of the EP’s premier cuts, “Righteous Name”.
“It took me time to come up with the title. The project itself wasn’t even in my plans. Righteous Name was the first song for what I didn’t know was going to be Ancestral Aspect.”
Righteous Name, a spoken word-styled composition produced by Gunnar, finds Sweetie calmly analyzing the complexities of religion and black pain all sprinkled in with a healthy dose of five percenter knowledge. Initially, she thought to keep the song for herself, but after sharing it with her close friends, opted to release it and use it as a muse for the project that followed.
“I recorded it for myself, but other people made me feel like they needed it too. I ended up working on a project for it after that. From there, I recorded the first track Black August. Specifically for Black August.”
An Ode to the Ancestors
Inspired by the spoken word delivery of the song, Sweetie initially thought to keep that same energy but opted not to continue it beyond the opening track, “Black August”. Black August, a month-long celebration based on the life of the freedom fighter George Jackson, became the guiding star for the project’s release date and added to the significance of the title.
An informal syllabus for listeners, Ancestral Aspect serves as one part reflective and educational, emanating the needed energy to properly inspire and reach the youth. For Sweetie, who sees her music as a legacy for her children and the children of tomorrow, there is no other way to live.
Seeing Things As They Are
Complex, dense, and thoughtful, Sweetie’s outlook on life reflects not only her background but also her immense desire to win as a woman with morals. One of the standout tracks on the EP, “Couldn’t Cee”, contains one of the EP’s major quotables:
“Sex sells, but my morals hold weight,
Confidence all over my face, there’s depth in what I got to say.”
Couldn’t Cee, Ancestral Aspect
A teaser, Ancestral Aspect serves as the perfect appetizer for her untitled sophomore album, which is set to be released this year.
Wright World 