‘Love Warrior’ Features Heavily in Dr. Cornel West’s Presidential Campaign
‘Love Warrior Released’ On Lucas’ Purple Label Sound Feb 21
Brandon Lucas, the producer, vocalist and DJ, returns with a collab featuring a titan of Chicago house, K’ Alexi Shelby, and the venerable Dr. Cornel West. ‘Love Warrior’ is an uplifting house track that has become a focal point of Dr. Cornel West’s Presidential campaign and will be released on Lucas’ Purple Label Sound, which he formed to elevate Black voices in electronic music.
Lucas and K’ Alexi Shelby were connected by Seth Troxler several years ago in Chicago, and the two have produced several unreleased records together, including the forthcoming title “Ain’t No Stopping Us.” The pair created ‘Love Warrior’, which features a vocal sample of Dr Cornel West’s opening remarks and invocation at Harvard’s Black Graduation in 2019, a couple of years back.
‘Love Warrior’ was originally earmarked for release as part of a broader dance music project with Dr. West, which has been delayed by his decision to run for President. After West’s campaign named its legion of super volunteers ‘Love Warriors’ the track naturally became their rallying cry, and Lucas, who is part of West’s campaign staff, was given the blessing to release the track.
“‘Love Warrior’ is a call to action to love warriors around the world. It's inspired by Dr. West's mission of truth and justice, with love at the center of it, and informed by the Black Musical Tradition,” said Lucas. “That Tradition – in terms of artistic creativity, spiritual fortitude, and moral courage — deals with what Doc refers to as the funk of catastrophe but not allowing it to have the last word. In this uncertain time in history, “Love Warrior” will help soundtrack this moment in the movement that Dr. West is leading for his millions of supporters worldwide, as he runs as an Independent candidate for President of the United States.”
K’ Alexi Shelby has been DJing since the early 80s, and is a seminal producer in the early house Chicago scene, releasing on labels like Trax and Transmat, and recording one of the early full length acid house albums, “Don’t Cha Want It?” In 1991. He runs the label TecSoul, which is taken from the TecSoul genre that he pioneered, and his production credits include work for the Pet Shop Boys, Marshall Jefferson, Tony Lovelesss, Larry Heard & Robert Owens, Roy Davis Jr ,Moody Man, Marcel Dettmann, Felix Da Housecat, Will Smith and many others.
