Kamasi Washington on Writing a Score Worthy of Michelle Obama (“I thought, ‘If Michelle was going to write a song, what would it sound like?’)

Rolling Stone ^ | 5/15/2020 | David Browne

[simpson96]

...Washington was approached about writing the score by the film’s director, Nadia Hallgren. After watching a rough cut, Washington, who voted for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, signed on. “I always thought Michelle Obama was an amazing person when I would watch her interviews,” he recalls, “but the chance to hear her talking about her way of thinking about life — and saying what’s important and not — was really cool, so I was definitely interested in doing it.”

The work itself turned out to be far more intense than he’d imagined. Washington had only a few short weeks to compose and record the music, which he began writing while on a jazz cruise in January. For starters, Washington scanned the Obamas’ individual playlists to get a sense of what music they gravitated toward. “They like a certain kind of Motown-ish soul and R&B,” he says. “It’s hard to put into words, but there was a feel I could hear in the music they’re into.”

In the course of those few weeks, Washington conceived interludes that played off that sense of their taste, along with the moods of particular scenes.

Washington never met Michelle or Barack Obama during the creation of the score (and has yet to encounter them since he wrapped up his work), but he would receive notes passed down from the higher-ups. He says the couple loved “Becoming” “right out of the box,” although he would also hear feedback from them about “tone and color” in certain scenes, and adjust pieces accordingly. “There was a point where someone said, ‘There’s a note from Barack Obama,’ and it was, ‘OK, I guess I can’t argue back!’ ”

[headless_thompson_gunner]

I believe it's already been written.


"I'm gonna get me a shotgun and kill all the whiteys I see!"

[Chauncey Gardiner]

If a jockstrap could make music...

[oldvirginian]

“If Michelle was going to write a song, what would it sound like?”

Probably like a three bean burrito fart.
With less rhythm.

[clearcarbon]

"If Michelle was going to write a song, what would it sound like?"

[stinkerpot65]

Big Mike! Sing it!

[ronnie raygun]

What a bunch of horse sh##

[glennaro]

How 'bout this Eddie Murphy classic:

Reggae Tune

[JayGalt]

A raspberry, aka Bronx cheer
https://tinyurl.com/MObamasound

[Ben Dover]

I told the witch doctor
I was in love with you
I told the witch doctor
I was in love with you
And then the witch doctor
He told me what to do
He said that
Ooo eee, Ooo ah ah, ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
Ooo eee, Ooo ah ah, ting tang
Walla walla bing bang...
Ooo eee, Ooo ah ah, ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
Ooo eee, Ooo ah ah, ting tang
Walla walla bing bang
I told the witch doctor
You didn’t love me true
I told the witch doctor
You didn’t love me nice
And then the witch doctor
He gave me this advice
He said that
Ooo eee, Ooo ah ah, ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
Ooo eee, Ooo ah ah, ting tang
Walla walla bing bang...
Ooo eee, Ooo ah ah, ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
Ooo eee, Ooo ah ah, ting tang
Walla walla bing bang
You’ve been keeping love from me
Just like…

[MomwithHope]

Lyrics should have been in Wookie not English

[bobby.223]

Big Mike sings ‘Jockstrap Blues’ and ‘Barry’s Bathouse Boogie’

[Trillian]

“It’s Raining Men”