♪♪ [ Instruments tuning ] ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Hey, everyone!

How you doing?

[ Cheers and applause ] Oh, y'all look so lovely and wonderful.

I'm just so thrilled to be able to be here and, wow, I didn't know y'all would be sitting down.

I feel like...

I feel like we at school.

Remember, like, when we were kids and they didn't have chairs.

You would just sit on your butt.

You know, and maybe that's what we need right now, to sit on our butts and connect with the earth, right?

Feel the earth.

You feel it?

Feel that.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

That energy, that radiant energy.

Come on now.

That radiant energy!

♪ That radiant energy, yeah ♪ ♪ Do you feel iiiit?

♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪ That's called that mama ♪ ♪ That's called that mama ♪ Now tell me, let me ask you a question.

♪ If you go anywhere on the earth ♪ ♪ And you ask somebody ♪ ♪ "What is earth?"

♪ They'll say Mama Earth.

I ain't never heard nobody say Father Earth.

I just haven't.

♪ So that's that mama ♪ ♪ Holdin' you up, keepin' you grounded ♪ ♪ Giving you life ♪ ♪ We need her right now, we need her right now ♪ ♪ Oh, no ♪ My name is Angel Bat Dawid.

Alright?

Thank you, New York, for having us.

We're all the way from Chicago.

Hello, I am Brooklynn Skye Scott.

[ Cheers and applause ] Yes.

[ Laughs ] Hey, I'm Tiana, or Anaiet, whatever you want to call me, you know.

Yes.

♪ Yeeeah, yes ♪ ♪ And together, we've joined forces and we're called ♪ ♪ We're called Sistaaaazz ♪ ♪ Sistazz of the Nitty Gritty, Gritty, Gritty ♪ ♪ Gritty, Gritty, Gritty, Gritty, Gritty ♪ ♪ Gritty, Gritty, Gritty, Gritty ♪ ♪ Gritty, Gritty, Gritty, Gritty, Gritty, Gritty, Gritty ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ See, let me tell you the story.

So, the story was... ♪ We ♪ We had a chance to meet a very, very important artist by the name of Lonnie Holley.

Who know Lonnie Holley?

Who -- Y'all!

Thumbs up for Mother Universe!

That's what he taught me.

Lonnie Holley taught me that -- put your hands up, come on, and say, "Thumbs up for Mother Universe!"

Thumbs up for Mother Universe!

Alright, so we met Lonnie Holley.

We had the chance to meet this amazing, brilliant mind, this elder, and he looked at us... ♪ And when he looked at us, he said ♪ ♪ I know what to call you ♪ ♪ I know what your name should be ♪ [ Chuckles ] ♪ He said you are ♪ ♪ The Sistazz of the Nitty Grittyyyyy ♪ ♪ I mean, what can I say?

♪ ♪ That had to be our name ♪ ♪ We're the Sistazz of the Nitty Gritty!

♪ [ Applause ] ♪ Yeeeah ♪ [ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Bass plays ] ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ One more time, wanna ooh ♪ ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ [ Scatting ] ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ Ah ♪ ♪ Ah, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ Oooooooh ♪ ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ Yeeeeah ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Ah, ah, ah, ah, oh, yeah ♪ [ Purrs ] ♪ We are ♪ ♪ Glowing stars ♪ ♪ Shining ♪ ♪ Brightly ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ We are ♪ ♪ Glowing ♪ ♪ Stars ♪ ♪ Shining ♪ ♪ Brightly ♪ ♪ One more time, yeah ♪ ♪ We ♪ ♪ We ♪ ♪ We are ♪ ♪ Are ♪ ♪ Glowing ♪ ♪ Glowing ♪ ♪ Glo-o-owing ♪ ♪ Stars ♪ ♪ Stars ♪ ♪ And we're shining so brightly, yeah ♪ ♪ Oh, so brightly, yeah ♪ [ Laughs ] ♪ Brightly ♪ ♪ So brightly, ye-e-e-e-ah ♪ ♪ Oh, yeah ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ [ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Wailing ] ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪♪ [ Scatting ] ♪♪ [ Scatting ] ♪♪ [ Scatting ] [ Scatting ] [ Wailing ] ♪ Oh, yeah ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Scatting ] ♪ We ♪ ♪ We are ♪ ♪ You must believe it ♪ ♪ We are glowing ♪ ♪ You best believe it, we're glowing stars ♪ ♪ Don't get it fucking twisted ♪ ♪ 'Cause we're shining so brightly, yeah ♪ ♪ For the world to know ♪ ♪ That your voice can glow ♪ ♪ That you can change things ♪ ♪ With the power of your tongue ♪ ♪ All you got to do is sing it with me, yeah ♪ ♪ We are stars, we are stars, we are stars ♪ ♪ We are stars, we are stars ♪ ♪ We are stars, we are stars ♪ ♪ We are stars, we are stars ♪ ♪ That are shining so brightly, yeah ♪ ♪ I'm shining before the entire universe ♪ ♪ Let your glory shine, let your glory shine ♪ ♪ Let your glory shine ♪ ♪ Shine!

♪ ♪ Shine, yeah ♪ ♪ You better ♪ [ Scatting ] ♪♪ [ Scatting ] ♪ Let it shine, let it shine ♪ ♪ Let it shine, let it shine ♪ ♪ Let your glory, let the glory go ♪ ♪ Let the glory come in ♪ ♪ Let the glory come in ♪ ♪ You better shine, you better glow ♪ ♪ You better know who you are ♪ ♪ You better be your best person, let me tell you this ♪ ♪ We done got ourselves into a pickle this year ♪ ♪ I didn't like any of it ♪ ♪ Too much heartache, too much pain ♪ [ Wails ] ♪ Oh!

♪ ♪ All these people died around me ♪ ♪ What was I supposed to do?

♪ ♪ I couldn't even go to my neighbors ♪ ♪ 'Cause I couldn't touch ya ♪ ♪ 'Cause I might make you sick or you might make me sick ♪ [ Scatting ] ♪ And I had to cover my smile, and I like to smile ♪ ♪ And I couldn't see your smile ♪ ♪ So I was hurting every day ♪ ♪ What am I supposed to do?

♪ ♪ What am I supposed to do?

♪ ♪ I got to sing ♪ ♪ And I want you to sing with me ♪ ♪ It's real easy ♪ ♪ One, two, three, let's go ♪ ♪ Let's go, here we go ♪ ♪ Here we go, here we go ♪ ♪ We ♪ ♪ Are ♪ ♪ Glowing stars ♪ ♪ Shiiiining ♪ ♪ Bright, bright, bright ♪ Like the star that you see every day, shine like that thing.

If you forget how to shine, just look up in the sky at that big, beautiful, yellow-gold golden globe.

It will remind you every day to keep going.

It never stops.

That beautiful sun, it never stops.

It gives us life every day.

Every day we wake up and it's like, "Here I am again."

No matter if I had a shitty day or an amazing day, he's always there.

He's always there to take care of his beautiful bride, his beautiful Mama Earth.

Oh, yeah, when those two get together, they make magic.

And they take care of us.

Did you forget?

Yeah, we forgot.

That's why there's sickness in the land, 'cause we forgot that we are run by Mother Nature and Father Sun and the moon and the stars and the trees.

Oh, you forgot?

Remember who you are.

Remember, remember.

♪♪ Remember, remember, remember.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clarinet stops ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clicking tongue, hissing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clarinet stops ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clarinet stops ] ♪♪ Hey!

♪♪ It's okay.

♪ If you feel the rhythm and your body move, it's okay ♪ That's right.

Yeah, that's right!

You see this man right here with the green hair?

That's why his hair is green today, so that you can know it.

This is what you supposed to do when you feel something in your boat.

♪ You just move it, move it, move it, move it ♪ ♪ Groove it in your own special way ♪ Now, we'll tell you, someone might think your own special way is funny and they may make you feel awkward, but don't listen to them.

♪ Just be you, you, you ♪ ♪ And feel the groove, just be you, you, you ♪ ♪ And feel the groove, just be you, you, you ♪ ♪ And sing it with me, feel the groove, groove, groove ♪ [ Scatting ] No, it's okay.

It's okay to move.

Y'all.

Humanity has gotten so weird.

♪ When did we start being so boring?

♪ ♪ Come on, gosh, lighten up ♪ ♪ Lighten up, another one bites the dust ♪ ♪ Another one bites the dust ♪ ♪ I heard that today ♪ ♪ When I was riding down this street ♪ ♪ Along the way ♪ ♪ Another one bites the dust came up in my head ♪ ♪ And I wondered why ♪ ♪ It's probably because I'm trying to tell you ♪ ♪ You gotta say fuck all that, you know?

♪ ♪ Do you ♪ Get your own groove.

It may be funny to me, but that's alright.

Be you.

♪ Be you, be you, be you ♪ Promise me you'll try it if it's hard to do it now.

Promise me, like, sometime this year, you will do something just for you, alright?

Can you promise me that?

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪ I like the sound of that ♪ ♪ Go you, you, you ♪ ♪ Treat yourself, better treat yourself ♪ ♪ Better treat yourself, treat yourself, treat yourself ♪ [ Clarinet playing ] Oh, now look at this!

I'mma show y'all another thing.

This is called the altar call.

Now, when I was in my tradition, people would come up to the altar, right?

I didn't even call, but he heard the call because what he's trying to tell y'all right now is that he's gonna be him right now.

You gonna do you, right?

I know it.

This is him making an honest pact with me, and I don't even have to say words.

I felt it.

It's called the altar call.

Alright?

Come to the altar and you say, "I'm gonna live my life a little different.

I'm not gonna do that old thing I used to do.

I'm gonna repent, repent.

I'm gonna turn it another course," because look what this other course gave us, y'all.

Look at this shit!

Nasty!

I mean, I know y'all laughing, but it's really not funny.

It's really horrible.

It's really horrible that we let our world come to this place.

We don't have to do this, y'all.

We got to take responsibility, and it's gonna be us changing our habits, you know?

Being ourselves.

Be you.

Stop trying to be someone else.

You can't be.

You can't even fathom the depths of me.

I can't fathom the depths of you, so don't even go there.

♪ Know yourself ♪ Know yourself better than anyone.

You're your own instruction manual.

Okay?

I'm only saying it 'cause I have to.

[ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Piano and bass fade ] ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Laughs ] Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

So...

I'm having a great time.

How y'all doing, sisters?

I'm doing good.

How you doing?

Feeling just fine.

Good.

Well, so you can know a little bit more about us, Anaiet wrote some amazing music, and she's gonna tell you a little bit about it.

Okay.

Well, well, well.

What -- What we have here?

Okay, so, yes, my name is Anaiet.

I wrote a piece.

I was looking up hush harbors for our upcoming album, and I ran across this article that spoke about Nat Turner.

And I was reading that there was an eclipse around the same time that he planned, you know, his famous revolt and whatnot.

And there's this quote that everyone always says in reference to him and that event, and it's like... [ Sighs ] ..."As a black spot passes over the sun, so shall the Blacks pass over the earth."

And that was, like, a really kind of powerful... [ Woman ululating ] Yeah.

That was really powerful to kind of, like, read and see.

And it just kind of did something to me, and I had to get all the energy out, so I wrote a little song, and it's called "Black Spot Over the Sun."

And you can kind of interpret all of that however you want, I guess.

I don't really know.

I just -- Yeah.

[ Chuckles ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ "Black Spot Over the Sun" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ By the way, there's a full moon today.

Yeah!

[ Laughs ] I don't know if y'all are feeling that energy, but... Yeah, I'm feeling it hard.

...it's been very apparent the past couple days.

Ooh, girl.

So maybe just bask in it with me, I guess.

[ Song resumes ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Bass and clarinet join in ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clarinet stops ] Mm!

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ [ Clarinet stops ] ♪♪ I want you all to remember this day.

This very, very gifted young woman, okay?

Original composition by a very young, amazing, Black woman.

[ Cheers and applause ] Yes!

Thumbs up.

Alright?

We're working on an album.

That's gonna be on the album, okay?

Now, this album we're working on is -- we're all composing work, 'cause we all can do that.

And we're also gonna take our rightful stand as producers and recording engineers, okay?

So, we will all be mixing our own stuff.

We don't need any more help.

Mnh-mnh.

We know how to do that, too, yeah, okay?

And because it shouldn't be a rarity to see Black women doing the things that we're doing, okay?

A good friend of mine showed me a video, and there was these two men, and they were like, "What do you call a human with magical powers?"

You know what the answer is?

A Black woman!

[ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ [ Clarinet stops ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Music fades ] Well, that was the amazing Brooklynn Skye.

[ Cheers and applause ] Remember this day, okay?

That's one -- that's the baddest bassist in the land, in ze land.

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪ Tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet ♪ ♪ Sweetily ♪ Who know that song?

Y'all don't know that song?

What?!

Y'all know that song.

Oh, come on.

What?

♪ Sometimes it feels like a misting rain ♪ Y'all don't remember this?

Y'all tell me y'all don't know that song?

♪ That gently touches my soul ♪ Y'all remember this, come on.

Come on now.

♪ It burns a fire -- ♪ Oh, wait, I forgot the words, y'all.

Come on, sing it with me!

♪ And I simply lose control ♪ [ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clarinet stops ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Come on, come on, come on ♪ ♪ Rain down on me ♪ ♪ Let your rain just fall like raindrops ♪ ♪ Rain on me ♪ ♪ Just rain down on me ♪ ♪ Let your rain just shower me ♪ ♪ Just rain ♪ ♪ On me ♪ Shout out to SWV, one of the greatest R&B groups ever!

Whoo!

Let me tell you, they got me through a rain, those beautiful voices.

♪ Those beautiful Black ladies ♪ ♪ Blessings to SWV ♪ ♪ Sisters with voices ♪ ♪ They inspired me ♪ ♪ A little Black girl who was pretty lonely ♪ Whoo!

And then they would sing things like... ♪ I get so weak in the knees ♪ Y'all remember that?

[ Applause ] Yes, blessing to those beautiful ladies.

[ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ So, that's just a gentle reminder, sisters with voices, make your voice known, okay?

[ Applause ] They inspire the world, alright?

So sisters in particular, and if you a sister, you know who I'm talking to.

♪ Do you, babies ♪ I'm Angel Bat Dawid!

I am Brooklynn Skye.

Yeah.

I'm Anaiet.

And we are Sistazz of the Nitty Gritty!

♪ Because sometimes we're nitty ♪ ♪ And sometimes we're gritty ♪ ♪ But most of the time ♪ ♪ We are ♪ ♪ Nitty, nitty ♪ ♪ Gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty ♪ ♪ Gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty ♪ ♪ We're nitty gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty ♪ ♪ Gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty ♪ [ Laughs ] [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

Thank you, New York!

Come on!

[ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Instruments tuning ] ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Hey, everyone!

How you doing?

[ Cheers and applause ] Oh, y'all look so lovely and wonderful.

I'm just so thrilled to be able to be here and, wow, I didn't know y'all would be sitting down.

I feel like...

I feel like we at school.

Remember, like, when we were kids and they didn't have chairs.

You would just sit on your butt.

You know, and maybe that's what we need right now, to sit on our butts and connect with the earth, right?

Feel the earth.

You feel it?

Feel that.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

That energy, that radiant energy.

Come on now.

That radiant energy!

♪ That radiant energy, yeah ♪ ♪ Do you feel iiiit?

♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪ That's called that mama ♪ ♪ That's called that mama ♪ Now tell me, let me ask you a question.

♪ If you go anywhere on the earth ♪ ♪ And you ask somebody ♪ ♪ "What is earth?"

♪ They'll say Mama Earth.

I ain't never heard nobody say Father Earth.

I just haven't.

♪ So that's that mama ♪ ♪ Holdin' you up, keepin' you grounded ♪ ♪ Giving you life ♪ ♪ We need her right now, we need her right now ♪ ♪ Oh, no ♪ My name is Angel Bat Dawid.

Alright?

Thank you, New York, for having us.

We're all the way from Chicago.

Hello, I am Brooklynn Skye Scott.

[ Cheers and applause ] Yes.

[ Laughs ] Hey, I'm Tiana, or Anaiet, whatever you want to call me, you know.

Yes.

♪ Yeeeah, yes ♪ ♪ And together, we've joined forces and we're called ♪ ♪ We're called Sistaaaazz ♪ ♪ Sistazz of the Nitty Gritty, Gritty, Gritty ♪ ♪ Gritty, Gritty, Gritty, Gritty, Gritty ♪ ♪ Gritty, Gritty, Gritty, Gritty ♪ ♪ Gritty, Gritty, Gritty, Gritty, Gritty, Gritty, Gritty ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ See, let me tell you the story.

So, the story was... ♪ We ♪ We had a chance to meet a very, very important artist by the name of Lonnie Holley.

Who know Lonnie Holley?

Who -- Y'all!

Thumbs up for Mother Universe!

That's what he taught me.

Lonnie Holley taught me that -- put your hands up, come on, and say, "Thumbs up for Mother Universe!"

Thumbs up for Mother Universe!

Alright, so we met Lonnie Holley.

We had the chance to meet this amazing, brilliant mind, this elder, and he looked at us... ♪ And when he looked at us, he said ♪ ♪ I know what to call you ♪ ♪ I know what your name should be ♪ [ Chuckles ] ♪ He said you are ♪ ♪ The Sistazz of the Nitty Grittyyyyy ♪ ♪ I mean, what can I say?

♪ ♪ That had to be our name ♪ ♪ We're the Sistazz of the Nitty Gritty!

♪ [ Applause ] ♪ Yeeeah ♪ [ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Bass plays ] ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ One more time, wanna ooh ♪ ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ [ Scatting ] ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ Ah ♪ ♪ Ah, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ Oooooooh ♪ ♪ Ooooh ♪ ♪ Yeeeeah ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Ah, ah, ah, ah, oh, yeah ♪ [ Purrs ] ♪ We are ♪ ♪ Glowing stars ♪ ♪ Shining ♪ ♪ Brightly ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ We are ♪ ♪ Glowing ♪ ♪ Stars ♪ ♪ Shining ♪ ♪ Brightly ♪ ♪ One more time, yeah ♪ ♪ We ♪ ♪ We ♪ ♪ We are ♪ ♪ Are ♪ ♪ Glowing ♪ ♪ Glowing ♪ ♪ Glo-o-owing ♪ ♪ Stars ♪ ♪ Stars ♪ ♪ And we're shining so brightly, yeah ♪ ♪ Oh, so brightly, yeah ♪ [ Laughs ] ♪ Brightly ♪ ♪ So brightly, ye-e-e-e-ah ♪ ♪ Oh, yeah ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ [ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Wailing ] ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪♪ [ Scatting ] ♪♪ [ Scatting ] ♪♪ [ Scatting ] [ Scatting ] [ Wailing ] ♪ Oh, yeah ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Scatting ] ♪ We ♪ ♪ We are ♪ ♪ You must believe it ♪ ♪ We are glowing ♪ ♪ You best believe it, we're glowing stars ♪ ♪ Don't get it fucking twisted ♪ ♪ 'Cause we're shining so brightly, yeah ♪ ♪ For the world to know ♪ ♪ That your voice can glow ♪ ♪ That you can change things ♪ ♪ With the power of your tongue ♪ ♪ All you got to do is sing it with me, yeah ♪ ♪ We are stars, we are stars, we are stars ♪ ♪ We are stars, we are stars ♪ ♪ We are stars, we are stars ♪ ♪ We are stars, we are stars ♪ ♪ That are shining so brightly, yeah ♪ ♪ I'm shining before the entire universe ♪ ♪ Let your glory shine, let your glory shine ♪ ♪ Let your glory shine ♪ ♪ Shine!

♪ ♪ Shine, yeah ♪ ♪ You better ♪ [ Scatting ] ♪♪ [ Scatting ] ♪ Let it shine, let it shine ♪ ♪ Let it shine, let it shine ♪ ♪ Let your glory, let the glory go ♪ ♪ Let the glory come in ♪ ♪ Let the glory come in ♪ ♪ You better shine, you better glow ♪ ♪ You better know who you are ♪ ♪ You better be your best person, let me tell you this ♪ ♪ We done got ourselves into a pickle this year ♪ ♪ I didn't like any of it ♪ ♪ Too much heartache, too much pain ♪ [ Wails ] ♪ Oh!

♪ ♪ All these people died around me ♪ ♪ What was I supposed to do?

♪ ♪ I couldn't even go to my neighbors ♪ ♪ 'Cause I couldn't touch ya ♪ ♪ 'Cause I might make you sick or you might make me sick ♪ [ Scatting ] ♪ And I had to cover my smile, and I like to smile ♪ ♪ And I couldn't see your smile ♪ ♪ So I was hurting every day ♪ ♪ What am I supposed to do?

♪ ♪ What am I supposed to do?

♪ ♪ I got to sing ♪ ♪ And I want you to sing with me ♪ ♪ It's real easy ♪ ♪ One, two, three, let's go ♪ ♪ Let's go, here we go ♪ ♪ Here we go, here we go ♪ ♪ We ♪ ♪ Are ♪ ♪ Glowing stars ♪ ♪ Shiiiining ♪ ♪ Bright, bright, bright ♪ Like the star that you see every day, shine like that thing.

If you forget how to shine, just look up in the sky at that big, beautiful, yellow-gold golden globe.

It will remind you every day to keep going.

It never stops.

That beautiful sun, it never stops.

It gives us life every day.

Every day we wake up and it's like, "Here I am again."

No matter if I had a shitty day or an amazing day, he's always there.

He's always there to take care of his beautiful bride, his beautiful Mama Earth.

Oh, yeah, when those two get together, they make magic.

And they take care of us.

Did you forget?

Yeah, we forgot.

That's why there's sickness in the land, 'cause we forgot that we are run by Mother Nature and Father Sun and the moon and the stars and the trees.

Oh, you forgot?

Remember who you are.

Remember, remember.

♪♪ Remember, remember, remember.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clarinet stops ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clicking tongue, hissing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clarinet stops ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clarinet stops ] ♪♪ Hey!

♪♪ It's okay.

♪ If you feel the rhythm and your body move, it's okay ♪ That's right.

Yeah, that's right!

You see this man right here with the green hair?

That's why his hair is green today, so that you can know it.

This is what you supposed to do when you feel something in your boat.

♪ You just move it, move it, move it, move it ♪ ♪ Groove it in your own special way ♪ Now, we'll tell you, someone might think your own special way is funny and they may make you feel awkward, but don't listen to them.

♪ Just be you, you, you ♪ ♪ And feel the groove, just be you, you, you ♪ ♪ And feel the groove, just be you, you, you ♪ ♪ And sing it with me, feel the groove, groove, groove ♪ [ Scatting ] No, it's okay.

It's okay to move.

Y'all.

Humanity has gotten so weird.

♪ When did we start being so boring?

♪ ♪ Come on, gosh, lighten up ♪ ♪ Lighten up, another one bites the dust ♪ ♪ Another one bites the dust ♪ ♪ I heard that today ♪ ♪ When I was riding down this street ♪ ♪ Along the way ♪ ♪ Another one bites the dust came up in my head ♪ ♪ And I wondered why ♪ ♪ It's probably because I'm trying to tell you ♪ ♪ You gotta say fuck all that, you know?

♪ ♪ Do you ♪ Get your own groove.

It may be funny to me, but that's alright.

Be you.

♪ Be you, be you, be you ♪ Promise me you'll try it if it's hard to do it now.

Promise me, like, sometime this year, you will do something just for you, alright?

Can you promise me that?

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪ I like the sound of that ♪ ♪ Go you, you, you ♪ ♪ Treat yourself, better treat yourself ♪ ♪ Better treat yourself, treat yourself, treat yourself ♪ [ Clarinet playing ] Oh, now look at this!

I'mma show y'all another thing.

This is called the altar call.

Now, when I was in my tradition, people would come up to the altar, right?

I didn't even call, but he heard the call because what he's trying to tell y'all right now is that he's gonna be him right now.

You gonna do you, right?

I know it.

This is him making an honest pact with me, and I don't even have to say words.

I felt it.

It's called the altar call.

Alright?

Come to the altar and you say, "I'm gonna live my life a little different.

I'm not gonna do that old thing I used to do.

I'm gonna repent, repent.

I'm gonna turn it another course," because look what this other course gave us, y'all.

Look at this shit!

Nasty!

I mean, I know y'all laughing, but it's really not funny.

It's really horrible.

It's really horrible that we let our world come to this place.

We don't have to do this, y'all.

We got to take responsibility, and it's gonna be us changing our habits, you know?

Being ourselves.

Be you.

Stop trying to be someone else.

You can't be.

You can't even fathom the depths of me.

I can't fathom the depths of you, so don't even go there.

♪ Know yourself ♪ Know yourself better than anyone.

You're your own instruction manual.

Okay?

I'm only saying it 'cause I have to.

[ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Piano and bass fade ] ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Laughs ] Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

So...

I'm having a great time.

How y'all doing, sisters?

I'm doing good.

How you doing?

Feeling just fine.

Good.

Well, so you can know a little bit more about us, Anaiet wrote some amazing music, and she's gonna tell you a little bit about it.

Okay.

Well, well, well.

What -- What we have here?

Okay, so, yes, my name is Anaiet.

I wrote a piece.

I was looking up hush harbors for our upcoming album, and I ran across this article that spoke about Nat Turner.

And I was reading that there was an eclipse around the same time that he planned, you know, his famous revolt and whatnot.

And there's this quote that everyone always says in reference to him and that event, and it's like... [ Sighs ] ..."As a black spot passes over the sun, so shall the Blacks pass over the earth."

And that was, like, a really kind of powerful... [ Woman ululating ] Yeah.

That was really powerful to kind of, like, read and see.

And it just kind of did something to me, and I had to get all the energy out, so I wrote a little song, and it's called "Black Spot Over the Sun."

And you can kind of interpret all of that however you want, I guess.

I don't really know.

I just -- Yeah.

[ Chuckles ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ "Black Spot Over the Sun" plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ By the way, there's a full moon today.

Yeah!

[ Laughs ] I don't know if y'all are feeling that energy, but... Yeah, I'm feeling it hard.

...it's been very apparent the past couple days.

Ooh, girl.

So maybe just bask in it with me, I guess.

[ Song resumes ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Bass and clarinet join in ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clarinet stops ] Mm!

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ [ Clarinet stops ] ♪♪ I want you all to remember this day.

This very, very gifted young woman, okay?

Original composition by a very young, amazing, Black woman.

[ Cheers and applause ] Yes!

Thumbs up.

Alright?

We're working on an album.

That's gonna be on the album, okay?

Now, this album we're working on is -- we're all composing work, 'cause we all can do that.

And we're also gonna take our rightful stand as producers and recording engineers, okay?

So, we will all be mixing our own stuff.

We don't need any more help.

Mnh-mnh.

We know how to do that, too, yeah, okay?

And because it shouldn't be a rarity to see Black women doing the things that we're doing, okay?

A good friend of mine showed me a video, and there was these two men, and they were like, "What do you call a human with magical powers?"

You know what the answer is?

A Black woman!

[ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ [ Clarinet stops ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Music fades ] Well, that was the amazing Brooklynn Skye.

[ Cheers and applause ] Remember this day, okay?

That's one -- that's the baddest bassist in the land, in ze land.

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪ Tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet ♪ ♪ Sweetily ♪ Who know that song?

Y'all don't know that song?

What?!

Y'all know that song.

Oh, come on.

What?

♪ Sometimes it feels like a misting rain ♪ Y'all don't remember this?

Y'all tell me y'all don't know that song?

♪ That gently touches my soul ♪ Y'all remember this, come on.

Come on now.

♪ It burns a fire -- ♪ Oh, wait, I forgot the words, y'all.

Come on, sing it with me!

♪ And I simply lose control ♪ [ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Clarinet stops ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Come on, come on, come on ♪ ♪ Rain down on me ♪ ♪ Let your rain just fall like raindrops ♪ ♪ Rain on me ♪ ♪ Just rain down on me ♪ ♪ Let your rain just shower me ♪ ♪ Just rain ♪ ♪ On me ♪ Shout out to SWV, one of the greatest R&B groups ever!

Whoo!

Let me tell you, they got me through a rain, those beautiful voices.

♪ Those beautiful Black ladies ♪ ♪ Blessings to SWV ♪ ♪ Sisters with voices ♪ ♪ They inspired me ♪ ♪ A little Black girl who was pretty lonely ♪ Whoo!

And then they would sing things like... ♪ I get so weak in the knees ♪ Y'all remember that?

[ Applause ] Yes, blessing to those beautiful ladies.

[ Clarinet playing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ So, that's just a gentle reminder, sisters with voices, make your voice known, okay?

[ Applause ] They inspire the world, alright?

So sisters in particular, and if you a sister, you know who I'm talking to.

♪ Do you, babies ♪ I'm Angel Bat Dawid!

I am Brooklynn Skye.

Yeah.

I'm Anaiet.

And we are Sistazz of the Nitty Gritty!

♪ Because sometimes we're nitty ♪ ♪ And sometimes we're gritty ♪ ♪ But most of the time ♪ ♪ We are ♪ ♪ Nitty, nitty ♪ ♪ Gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty ♪ ♪ Gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty ♪ ♪ We're nitty gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty ♪ ♪ Gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty, gritty ♪ [ Laughs ] [ Cheers and applause ] Thank you.

Thank you, New York!

Come on!

[ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪