EBONY magazine is honoring the biggest names in not only urban music but music period with their June Black Music Month issue.
The quadruple special edition cover features four megastars who need zero introduction in Jay Z, Beyoncé, Kanye West and Rihanna.
Read the official press release below.
The issue is presented in a four-cover series, with Beyoncé, Jay Z, Kanye West and Rihanna gracing the covers as a salute to their unprecedented impact on Black music. One of the most critically acclaimed voices in urban music culture, Kevin Powell, lends EBONY his pen and probes the connection between the ruling musical icons and how they compare with legends of the past.
“It was an honor to write the four cover stories for EBONY magazine’s Black Music Month special collector’s edition, and to also pen the additional four mini-features inside,” said Powell. “Rarely do you see today’s unstoppable stars like Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kanye West and Jay Z packaged with legends like Tina Turner, Donna Summer or Tupac Shakur, but we did it because when it comes to Black music, it is important to note the deep connection between the musicians of yesterday and today,” he added.
Inside EBONY, Powell paints a picture of the parallels between several music geniuses, regardless of the era they reigned. For example, Kanye and Tupac are both recognized as the poets who defined their own rules in the industry.
“They are brothers from another planet – the one they built themselves,” said Powell in the article as he referenced Kanye and Tupac. “Love them or hate them, there is no denying that these two bad boys of hip-hop make our culture so electric and so hard to ignore.”
Additional artists highlighted include Usher, Prince, Lauryn Hill and Mary J. Blige.
The legendary salute isn’t limited to just Hip-Hop & R&B, either. Famed record label Blue Note Records gets their own spread, honoring the likes of Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk. BNR is celebrating their 75th anniversary this year and the music they’ve put forth has altered the course of American history.
EBONY’s new issue hits stands tomorrow, May 6. Peel through the gallery below to see all four covers for your collection.
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Photos: EBONY
