“I think my favorite album would be Kendrick Lamar’s ‘good kid, m.A.A.d city.’ Part of the reason why is because I know every song really well and I think that tells a full narrative, which is pretty rare in music. The album itself is more like a story than it is a typical album, and it’s special because it addresses a lot of social concerns that are important for Americans or for any ordinary person.”

“One of my favorite albums is ‘White Ladder’ by David Gray because I feel that I got into his music in my mid-twenties. I felt like it was a crucial time in my life—where I was figuring out my career, doing independent things in my life—and it helped me get through those post-college to ‘real adult’ times. It calmed me down when I was stressed out and it will always hold a special place in my heart, reminding me about those times.”

“My favorite album is ‘Let’s Get Free’ by Dead Prez because listening to that album over and over again will liberate your mind. The album, to me, encapsulates what the purpose of hip hop music was meant to be, which is community empowerment.”

“Right off the top of my head, I think of ‘Abbey Road’ by The Beatles. My mother-in-law loved The Beatles, and she always talks about how back in the day, in music, there was more meaning in the words. During COVID-19, we were constantly listening to The Beatles and she has actual CDs and their records, and there’s something different about listening to their music on a record player.”