ANANSI, ANANSI B/W WIT THESE

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 olooking through the eyes of people in his community to capture the true depth of diversity of the American black experienceo (Audiotree). During 2016, Dixon created and released his debut mixtape, oWho Taught You To Hate Yourself'o The mixtape, which follows the chronicles of a young, black boy who witnesses a drive-by in his neighborhood, unfolds his understandings of othe grim realities of the sociopolitical atmosphere and class struggle around himo (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 DixonAEs bedroom. In 2018, after being placed on NPRAEs oSlingshot: Artist To Watch Listo at the top of the year, he released the follow-up mixtape oThe Importance of Self Belief.o The mixtape was deemed ocomparable to Ta-Nehisi CoatesAE coming-of-age memoir aeThe Beautiful StruggleAEo by NPRAEs Rodney Carmichael.