Matt B's Alkebulan II won a Grammy® in the category of Best Global Music Album at the 67th Annual Grammy® Awards on February 2, 2025. The Premiere Award Ceremony which took place at the Peacock Theater at LA Live, was attended by the producers Matt B, Angela Benson, Kitt Wakeley, MB Gordy, and Brent Fischer.
Matt B's sequel to his African-inspired album, Alkebulan-I (released last year) is a soulful orchestral journey spanning three continents. Matt B's production team bridged the continents with arrangement and orchestration by Grammy®-winning Brent Fischer (D'Angelo, Prince, Usher, Elvis Costello, The Roots) in Los Angeles, recordings at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and filming music videos for the album in Africa. This is the second collaboration between Matt B and Brent Fischer, whose arrangements and production also appear on celebrated artist, D'Angelo's album Black Messiah (winner of Grammys® for Best R&B Album and Song, Really Love in 2016).
Alkebulan II offers ten (10) Afropop-influenced tracks. The album dropped on Aug 23, 2024, and entered the Billboard's top 100 album chart, following its release. An accompanying short-film screening premiered at the Regal Cinemas, Los Angeles in September, and at the Grammy Museum on February 22, 2025.
Alkebulan is believed to be the name of the continent of Africa with its ancient civilization dating back over 5000 years. The name has come to represent the resilience and diversity of a nation which parallels Matt B's own dreams and ambition to record quality albums. Alk-II sounds soar with epic cinematic flavors woven with introspective spoken words by South African-born poet, Nomfundo Khambule. Marc Whitmore is credited as Mix Engineer, with Jett Galindo as Mastering Engineer. Alkebulan II is a voyage of sound and soul made in three continents of North America, Europe and Africa. The producers are Matt B, Angela Benson, Kitt Wakeley, MB Gordy, Wabwire "B.I.T." Shedrack (not photographed) and Brent Fischer.
Read the interview with Producer/Arranger/Orchestrator Brent Fischer in the Nov Issue of studioexpresso here https://conta.cc/4fpBTEX
