The time of protest songs, anthems of the generation, or simply sincere musical texts referring to the socio-political situation is not over yet. Overseas, Samora Pinderhughes proves that not only the hip-hop community has enough determination to talk about current and difficult topics, to stand up for the causes in which they believe. The American artist does it in such a way that his album Grief should first receive the Pulitzer Prize, and only then the Grammy statuette.

The process of creating the album whose repertoire we will hear at the Jazztopad Festival, began ... with sociological research work. It consisted in conducting nearly one hundred interviews with people of colour, who had experienced violence from the system of American public institutions. Pinderhughes spoke mainly to people incarcerated and those who were subjected to violence by US police. As a result, the work on the album lasted eight years, hence it is hard not to call Grief a well-thought-out work, especially as the album itself was part of the multi-part and multidisciplinary exhibition The Healing Project at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco.

Samora Pinderhughes is a consummate artist – composer, vocalist, pianist and filmmaker, a graduate of the Julliard School. Combining two sensibilities – musical and social – he performs not only with jazz stars such as Branford Marsalis, Herbie Hancock or Chief Xiana Tunde Adjuah (formerly known as Christian Scott), but also works with the hip-hop artist Common. His music and lyrics stem from a sincere need to express himself, or rather to lend a voice to those who do not have an opportunity to reach a wider audience.