Blood Orange (Dev Hynes), shines bright on “Jewelry,” the second advance single from his highly-anticipated fourth studio album, ‘Negro Swan.’ 

“People try to, put us down by saying / ‘She’s doing the most’ or ‘he’s way too much’ / But, like, why would we want to do the least?” “Jewelry” features an intro by Janet Mock, excerpted above. Accompanied by a lush, dreamy backdrop, she references black empowerment, which seems to fit the mold of Negro Swan, the highly-anticipated new album by Blood Orange (Dev Hynes). The lush sound of “Jewelry” continues on the chorus that follows.  The lyrics are simple, but poetic and telling.

“Cheap on your skin, smooth / Jewel that ring / Shine hit your eyes / Black kiss the ring / Ruby ebony sides / Change my eyes for something cool.”

Two verses appear on “Jewelry.”  The first is rapped at the beginning, including standout lyrics “I treated the hope like my home / And destroyed it, go figure.” The second half of the first verse is sung – “No one ever will appreciate / The way you bare your soul (for them to) or attune / I’m through / I through.” It seems that Dev Hynes isn’t worried about trying to please or make others appreciate or accept him – he knows he’s a jewel. As the for the second verse, it’s a mix of hip-hop and singing.  The soulful guitar shines as part of the accompaniment. Notably, Blood Orange uses the n-word a lot, highlighted by the phrase, “N*gga, I’m feeling myself.” It is indeed a celebration of self, but also references that selfishness in light of unfortunate situations regarding his own people.

Final Thoughts

“Jewelry” is an example of a socially-conscious record at its best.  Dev Hynes/Blood Orange does a fantastic job of capturing black life and black issues.  He’s poetic and thoughtful, and honestly, what better time to shed light on this than now?  This is well-written, well-performed, and well-produced.  Negro Swan is poised to be awesome.

Blood Orange • Negro Swan • Domino • Release: 8.24.18

Photo Credit: Domino