When the ball dropped on 2020, I don’t think most had any idea what was about to take place this year. From a global pandemic to the protests going on all over the country world in response to the murder of George Floyd and the endless deaths of Black men and women at the hands of police brutality and racism. And that’s just the broad strokes, as many of us are also dealing with more personal issues that hit closer to home.
For as long as I’ve known Devine Carama, the Lexington, KY-based rapper has always been genuine in spreading a positive message and fighting for what’s right within his music. Sadly, tragedy struck his family this past Easter when his 18-year-old daughter died in a car accident.
Reeling from her passing, surviving the pandemic, and trying to find value as a Black man in a country that increasingly devalues them, Carama comes through with his most personal project to date: Worshipping in the Wilderness. Produced by JK-47, the album dives into the deep corners of agony and pain while using his experiences to help others navigate the darkness of these trying times.
“He was able to musically encapsulate my emotions in one of the most difficult times in my life,” Carama says about JK-47’s production. “I’m not sure I would have made it through the last three months without the ability to grieve and process things musically and my brother JK provided me the canvas to paint on. He’s not just my DJ or a producer, but he’s my friend and my brother and I love him with all my heart.”
Available now on Bandcamp, the album can be heard below.
