This week on KBLA’s Lyric Lounge, Tosha, Teal, and Ural explore the rich, genre-blurring soundscape of José James. A sonic shapeshifter whose catalog reads like a love letter to jazz, soul, hip-hop, and everything in between.

José James doesn’t just sing. He inhabits the music. His voice floats like steam from a midnight cup of tea, warm with memory and cool with intention. One moment he’s channeling the spirit of Gil Scott-Heron with spoken-word precision, the next he’s slipping into a velvet-smooth falsetto that could make a neon-lit club feel like church.

His style is eclectic, elegant, and earthy, rooted in jazz but reaching toward the stars. Think D’Angelo in a Monk suit. Think Billie Holiday echoing through an MPC. José is what happens when a poet studies rhythm like scripture, when a crooner learns to swing, and when a beatmaker falls in love with Coltrane.

In this episode, the Lyric Lounge crew uncovers the layers, how José James bends genre into emotion and makes you feel like every note was meant just for your ears.

Now streaming wherever music meets meaning.

#kblalyriclounge #kbla1580 #josejames #souljazz #neosoul #poeticvoice #lyricloungeclassics #vocalalchemy #musicwithoutborders

This week on The Lyric Lounge, Tosha, Teal, and Ural take a cinematic stroll through the music and lyrics that scored the films of Spike Lee.

From Arrested Development’s “Revolution”, a rallying cry of rhythm and resistance, to the aching urgency of New Power Generation’s “Count the Days”, and the timeless tenderness of Stevie Wonder’s “These Three Words”. This episode explores how Spike’s soundtracks hit just as hard as his storytelling.

These aren’t just songs. They’re sonic chapters in a larger cultural script. Where love, protest, pain, and hope all share the same frame.

Now streaming on all platforms.

#kblalyriclounge #kbla1580 #spikeleefilms #arresteddevelopment #countthedays #newpowergeneration #steviewonder #thesethreewords #blackcinemaclassics #soundtrackstories #musicandmeaning #spikelee

This week on The Lyric Lounge, we dust off a '90s gem and drop the needle on the unforgettable soundtrack of Jason’s Lyric. Where every track feels like a love letter written in the margins of a broken heart.

Join Tosha, Teal, and Ural as they dive into the sonic diary of this iconic film.

Now streaming everywhere, you press play.

#kblalyriclounge #kbla1580 #jasonslyric #90srnb #soundtrackvibes #soulcinema #blackfilmmagic #lyricloungeclassics #slowjamtheology #musicwithmeaning #audiomemoirs