You might have heard of Aminé from his early hits like “Caroline” and “REEL IT IN.” The Portland rapper was known for his bright yellow aesthetic and fun, summery songs. But this was four years ago, and since then he’s been changing his sound and racking up fans worldwide — including Beyoncé and Rihanna. His latest project is his sophomore album, Limbo.
Aminé’s roots in Portland, Oregon are important to him, as is recognizing the contributions of the city’s Black and brown residents, who are often overlooked because the city is often considered very white. And as the city continues to experience daily protests over racial injustice, that seems more urgent than ever.
As he told Jordan Coley for GQ:
“I think it’s a beautiful thing. I’m also genuinely not surprised, but we’re also fighting for our lives as Black people in Portland,” he says wearily. “We’re fighting for our neighborhoods at the same time. Portland is going to have no Black people in it in the next 20 years, if it keeps moving the way it is.”
We’re talking to Amine about Limbo, Portland and making and releasing art during a pandemic.
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