Petty Looks for a Better Future in 'Music City Blues' [Fresh Track]

If you've kept an ear on Nashville hip-hop over the past decade, you almost certainly know Petty's mastery of sophisticated storytelling and top-shelf bars. His 2019 concept record How Low We In was easily one of the year's best releases across the board, and he's prolific, too — most years, he'll release multiple EPs and full-length projects amid a sea of standout singles.

Something else you'll know if you're familiar with local hip-hop is that area rappers are exceptionally passionate about and skilled at telling stories about what it's like to be a Black person and an artist trying to make their way in our city. (Hear 9, the outstanding EP from Petty's childhood friend Quez Cantrell, for one example among many.) There's a pervasive current of racism in the mainstream country music business, as explored in-depth in a recent panel of Black music biz professionals, and the infrastructure to grow our hip-hop scene remains woefully underdeveloped. We're blessed with a boatload of talent, and some folks even come here specifically to get their careers started.

We're having vital public conversations about how to end systemic racism and police violence, with waves of historic peaceful protests, marathon Metro Council meetings and more. Petty's latest single “Music City Blues (Nashional Anthem)” is dedicated to the memories of Jocques Clemmons and Daniel Hambrick, two Black Nashvillians killed by police officers. Petty connects the dots between their stories and the need to level the playing field for Black musicians. Rather than rapping, he sings on the track, an Afrobeat-schooled jazzy piece produced by Noehart:

Signs say Music City, fine print say 'Nah, ain't no rappin' here'

Broadway they don't know us, Music Row they don't know about us

If they did would they open up the checkbook, or just go around us

Venues rarely open their doors up, we can't even throw a show

But we know the reason why

The track isn't embeddable, but

. Keep up with Petty

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. He's also participated in a couple of in-depth conversations that you can check out for yourself: Hear his appearances on recent episodes of the podcast 

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