McKinley Dixon Announces The Importance Of (Acoustic)
Spring Tour Down To SXSW
The Importance Of Self Belief Out Now
Richmond jazz-rap artist McKinley Dixon has just announced his upcoming Spring tour down to SXSW. Tickets are available now and a full list of dates can be found below. In conjunction with the tour, Dixon is releasing a new EP, The Importance Of (Acoustic), available for purchase and streaming now. The EP features stripped down reimagining of songs off of his two most recent mixtapes The Importance Of Self Belief and Who Taught You To Hate Yourself? The third mixtape in the planned trilogy is set to be released later this year.
Listen to McKinley Dixon’s mixtapes on Bandcamp:
https://mckinleydixon.bandcamp.com
McKinley Dixon is a unique performer, bringing his blend of rap, jazz, and politics up through the multi-genre DIY scene of Richmond, VA. It’s there that he has found the numerous collaborators that are sprinkled across his releases and live band. His electric live show is showcased in his recent Audiotree session, while his writing style has been lauded by critics, getting comparisons to literary icons like James Baldwin (TIDAL) and Ta-Nehisi Coates .
The Importance Of (Acoustic) track list:
1. God’s Land
2. Circle The Block
3. Importance Of/Self Belief
4. Bare Knuckles
5. Announcing Humanity
Tour Dates:
2/28 – Harrisonburg, VA – WXJM
3/8 – Savannah, GA – Savannah Stopover Festival
3/10 – Athens, GA – Pit Bull Manor
3/11- Austin, TX – SXSW
3/12 – Dallas, TX – Not So Fun WKND
3/13 – Austin, TX – SXSW
3/14 – Austin, TX – SXSW
3/16 – Hot Springs, AR – Valley Of Vapors Festival
3/23 – Greenville, NC – Spazz Fest at Crossbones
Biography:
McKinley Dixon was born and raised in Maryland and later relocated to Richmond, Virginia where he found a plethora of artists and friends alike that enabled his creative process to continue to take formation. Assembling several bands, Dixon created a fusion of rap and jazz that has been described as “new perspectives, experiences, and crucial conversations” that “add to his captivating narrative” (RVA Mag).
During 2016, Dixon created and released his debut mixtape, Who Taught You To Hate Yourself? The mixtape, which follows the chronicles of a young, black boy who witnesses a drive-by in his neighborhood, unfolds his understandings of “the grim realities of the sociopolitical atmosphere and class struggle around him” (RVA Mag); Including gang violence, police brutality and self hatred, themes that are forced upon black bodies. Incorporating the talent of 20 + visual and musical artist, the mixtape was largely recorded in Dixon’s bedroom. In 2018, after being placed on NPR’s “Slingshot: Artist To Watch List” at the top of the year, he released the follow-up mixtape The Importance of Self Belief to acclaim. He later preformed on Audiotree and subsequently on the Audiotree Music Festival.
These works have been featured in publications including NPR, Audiotree, Huffington Post and RVA Mag. Currently, he is working on the third and final installment of his mixtape series.
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