Downloads + Donations Buying Guide: Chicago Music For Black Lives
Ashley Nicole Lane
The fight for Black lives and against police brutality is global, but building safer communities begins at home. In the interest of supporting Chicago’s independent music scenes specifically and Black communities in the city generally, here’s a list of artists and labels that are donating proceeds to help the fight for Black lives.
Please contact me if you hear of more musicians making donations, or if I have presented any inaccurate or out-of-date information. (The majority of these donations are tied to Bandcamp purchases, so full disclosure: I have written for Bandcamp’s editorial arm before, including with editor Jes Skolnik, a member of the group Daddy’s Boy.)
Media consumption alone is not activism. But I hope this list will be a useful resource as a starting point for Chicagoans to support both community organizers and musicians at once.
-Jack Riedy
NNAMDÏ - Black Plight + “IMPATIENT”
Multi-instrumentalist NNAMDÏ is donating all proceeds from downloads of his new single “Impatient” to E.A.T. Chicago, an advocacy group for marginalized Black people, and Chicago Community Bond Fund, and all proceeds from new EP Black Plight to E.A.T. Chicago and Assata’s Daughters.
Wyatt Waddell - "Fight!"
Soul singer Wyatt Waddell recorded his new protest single in less than 24 hours this past week. He is donating all proceeds from sales to Chicago Community Bond Fund, Black Lives Matter Chicago, and Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Bobby Nicotine and fivedollarminimum - five dollar DXCEGAME
The rapper and producer are donating proceeds from sales of their first collaborative album to Chicago Community Bond Fund and other causes outlined here.
Why? Records compilation - Art Is Love, Vol. 1
The crew behind Why? Records put together this 20-track compilation, with contributions from local artists across scenes and styles, to benefit the Chicago Community Bond Fund, and they’ve raised over $1,300 so far.
The rapper/producer is donating all Bandcamp proceeds from 6/5 to Brave Space Alliance. His Why? collaborators Davis, Joshua Virtue, and Ruby Watson will also be donating proceeds to multiple funds as needed.
Saint Icky - “BLACK SKIN #BLM”
The Badluck Records rapper/producer is donating all proceeds from his new freestyle to Healthy Hood Chi in order to repair and support Black owned businesses.
Tasha - “Bed Song 1 (Demo)”
Songwriter Tasha is donating half the proceeds of her newly released demo to Chicago Community Bond Fund.
drea the vibe dealer - “sacrifice”
drea is donating all profits from sales of her new single on 6/5 to Brave Space Alliance and We Say YEPP, a healing organization for LGBTQ+ youth.
Queer pop artist Superknova is donating all profits from streaming, music, and merch from now until 6/7 to Chicago Community Bond Fund and Minnesota’s Black Visions Collective.
The St. Louis born R&B singer is donating all profits from Bandcamp sales on 6/5 to the Lil Black Boy campaign, which provides free therapy for Black men.
Milwaukee power pop group Telethon is donating all money from digital/physical sales to 70+ organizations via ActBlue. After 6/5, they will continue to donate all profits after production costs.
The quartet is donating all proceeds from Bandcamp sales on 6/5 to Black Lives Matter Chicago and Brave Space Alliance. They have also been giving away vinyl copies of their new record to people donating to organizations listed on their social media.
Artist and Sooper Records founder Morimoto will donate all Bandcamp sales on 6/5 to the Chicago Black and Brown Business Relief Fund, and he will match 100% with donations to the Black Trans Protesters Emergency Fund.
Indie rocker Lala Lala is donating all proceeds from Bandcamp sales on 6/5 to the Black Trans Protesters Emergency Fund.
Singer/songwriter Kaina is donating all proceeds from Bandcamp sales on 6/5 to Feed The West Side.
The art rock duo is donating proceeds from all sales on 6/5, including from brand new record Fantasize Your Ghost, to Assata’s Daughters, and their label Joyful Noise is donating their share to Justice for Breonna Taylor, the Movement for Black Lives, and the ACLU of Indiana.
NIIKA - Close But Not Too Close
Art pop soloist NIIKA is donating all proceeds from digital and vinyl sales of her new album on 6/5 to Black Lives Matter Chicago, Free Black Women's Library Sister Outsider Relief Grant, and For The Gworls, an fundraising group for Black trans people.
Guillotine Crowns ft. Skech185 - “Killer”
Guillotine Crowns (the duo of Chicagoan Short Fuze and New Yorker Uncommon Nasa) have teamed up with Chicago born, NYC based rapper Skech185 for a new single, all proceeds going to the National Police Accountability Project.
daddy’s boy - punk discipline
The “Red Hot Ranch house band” is donating all June profits from their demo to Brave Space Alliance.
Singer/songwriter Tenci is donating 100% of all digital sales from album My Heart is an Open Field, 50% of sales of their Hummingbird shirt, and 25% of all physical sales of merch to Brave Space Alliance.
Mint Mile - “Halocline”
Alt-rocker Mint Mile is donating all proceeds from his new single, recorded with Steve Albini at Electrical Audio, to the Lincoln Square Friendship Center.
Girl K - “No Surprises”
The indie rock band is donating all proceeds from their Radiohead cover to the National Bond Fund and Campaign Zero.
The indie rock band is donating all profits from their Bandcamp sales on 6/5 to Black Lives Matter Chicago and Chicago Community Bond Fund.
Dance rock duo Grapetooth is donating all Bandcamp sales on 6/5 to Chicago Community Bond Fund, and Polyvinyl will donate $5 for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund for each physical purchase.
Slow Mass - Music For Ears 3
Post-hardcore group Slow Mass is donating all profits from this weekend to Liberation Library and the Du Nord Riot Recovery Fund.
The local archival label is donating all proceeds from Bandcamp sales on 6/5 to Assata’s Daughters, Chicago Freedom School, and Black Trans Femmes in the Arts.
Thrill Jockey Records
Local label Thrill Jockey, whose Chicago artists include Oozing Wound, Jeff Parker, and Pit Er Pat, is giving free LPs to anyone who makes a $5 or greater donation to the ACLU through their Bandcamp merch page.
The label, home to NNAMDI, Kaina, Sen Morimoto amongst others, is donating 15% of all sales on their Bandcamp or website on 6/5 to My Block My Hood My City.
The label home of Chicago artists Tasha and Sharpless is donating $1 for each item sold on 6/5 to Black Lives Matter.
The British label, packed with Chicago talent including RP Boo, DJ Rashad, DJ Nate, and Traxman, is donating the label share of all sales on 6/5 to Chicago Defender Charities.
The label home of Chicago artists Deeper, Dehd, Fran, and more is donating their share of proceeds on 6/5 to Brooklyn Community Bail Fund, Reclaim The Block, Black Visions Collective, and Unicorn Riot.