Listen: New LGBTQ-Inclusive Hip-Hop Album for All Ages Celebrates Love, Belonging, and Gender Justice

A hip-hop song about trans, gender non-conforming, and two-spirit heroes? Yes! It’s part of the Grammy-nominated Alphabet Rockers’ new, intergenerational music album, full of songs on gender, race, allyship, social justice, and more. Watch the lyric video here.

The LOVE, out today from children’s hip hop artists Alphabet Rockers, is a product of collaboration, communication, and learning. More than 60 guest artists joined Alphabet Rockers co-founders Kaitlin McGaw and Tommy Soulati Shepherd to create the album, along with voices from the Rockers’ next generation: Lillian Ellis, Maya Fleming, Kali de Jesus and Tommy “T3PO” Shepherd III. Their new and original songs evolved out of extensive listening sessions and community conversations. As McGaw explains, “Hundreds of kids and families trusted us with their lived experience to write these songs. These are songs of self love and justice for trans and gender non-binary kids and families, and inspiration for anyone who wants to be an ally.” Adds Shepherd, “Making this music allowed me to notice my own blind spots. Like everyone, I want to do better. When we understand there are people out there who need our advocacy, we can be culture-keepers. We can change. Alphabet Rockers music is for ALL people.”

Recognizing that the album was recorded on land originally inhabited by the Ohlone people, the album begins with a series of positive statements led by Kanyon “CoyoteWoman” Sayers-Rood, a Coastanoan Ohlone and Chumash California Native artist. Singles include “Not Alone” (about how to be an ally and stand up for friends), “We Royal” (celebrating trans, gender non-conforming and two-spirit heroes), “Live Your Life,” (a promise to make the world safe for all people), “Black Grxl Magic” (featuring several young Rockers), and “I Am Enough” (featuring the Singing Bois). Latin Grammy winner 123 Andrés and acclaimed hip hop artist SaulPaul are guests on “Until You’re Free,” which proclaims, “I’m not free until you’re free.” The anthemic “Just Be” is for all people who want to live their truth without fear, and “Someday” speaks to interrupting violence and standing up to hate. Between the songs are spoken interludes–“They/Them,” “You,” “Us,” and “We”— in which young people express their thoughts about gender, pronouns, self, and more. All told, it calls on listeners to be #TheLOVE.

This is not kids’ music that will cause parents to run screaming from the cloying repetition of it all. It is arguably not even “kids’ music”—it’s positioned as an “intergenerational” album and speaks to all ages. Many kids will certainly enjoy it and find much that resonates in the messages of the songs–but I think it’s appeal is far wider. Put it on for a family road trip or simply after you listen to the news for the day. It just might help you cope.

McGaw is a self-described “white girl from Boston” and Shepherd is a “black drummer/actor/beatboxer from LA.” Although from different worlds by place/gender/race, their website notes, “the music that moved them was the same. They both wanted to raise up voices for change. They both believed in the power of children to be changemakers. Their passion is to create positive messages and modern beats to help kids love who they are, fight bias, and celebrate difference.” Their earlier, Grammy-nominated album, Rise Shine #Woke, raised conversations around social justice for kids and families; The Playground Zone included songs about skin color, neuro-diversity, and how to be an ally on the playground; GO! was a dance party of learning, fitness and early literacy; and Back to School: The Remix aimed at getting the youngest kids moving and ready for school with songs about friendship, shapes, and coins.

The LOVE was produced at Zoo Labs in Oakland, California, in collaboration with Grammy-winning producer Street Symphony and several other producers and engineers. The album was created with LGBTQI+ family organization Our Family Coalition, with funding from the Creative Work Fund. Alphabet Rockers will perform several Bay Area shows including headlining the Art & Soul Festival this summer. In September, they will host an album release concert at Oakland Pride and will appear at the inaugural Building Bridges Family Music Festival in Portland. The Alphabet Rockers also recently launched the So Get Me podcast for families making change. For more information, visit alphabetrockers.com and follow them on Instagram.

Interested in more LGBTQ-inclusive children’s music? Check out these albums as well as my YouTube playlist of LGBTQ-Inclusive Songs for Kids.

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