Tank and the Bangas have been on a roll with new music this year. The New Orleans, Louisianna, band has dropped off a new track titled “Stolen Fruit.”
Loosely inspired by Billie Holiday’s 1939 classic “Strange Fruit,” which protested the lynchings of Black Americans in the Jim Crow-era South, Tank and the Bangas’ “Stolen Fruit” addresses the slave trade.
“Village women, tribal children / Native language, something’s missing / Ripping spirit, no religion / This is what we teach our children,” sings lead vocalist Tarriona “Tank” Ball on the soul-stirring number.
“‘Stolen Fruit’ is about the slave trade – the story of Black people being stolen from Africa and brought to America,” they shared on Instagram. “But it’s also about beauty, joy and empowerment! This one is special to us – we hope you truly listen with all your ears and ❤️.”
Tank and the Bangas have also released a visual for “Stolen Fruit,” which can be viewed below. The Sontenish Myers-directed video opens with a Black boy who appears to be lost outdoors. He meets a Black woman who leads him into a spiritual dance.
As he gets the hang of it, she takes him to meet other Black women and men, and they all dance freely as the sun shines on their melanated skin. In between cuts, we see Tank, wearing a beautiful red gown, performing the song in a wooded area.
“Stolen Fruit” is the follow-up to Tank and the Bangas’ “No ID” and “Black Folk” featuring Alex Isley and Masego. All three tracks will appear on their new album, Red Balloon, which drops on May 13.
The album is packed with features, including Lalah Hathaway, The HamilTones, Big Freedia, Jacob Collier, Wayne Brady and more.
“This has been one of the best attempts thus far at capturing what happens when we’re all playing at the same time Red Balloon is coming straight for your heart and your neck. It’s going to make you bop and think and love, hopefully, and even love people that look different,” Tank and the Bangas shared in a joint statement.
Red Balloon is the sequel to their 2019 LP, Green Balloon, which scored them the coveted Best New Artist nomination at the 62nd Grammy Awards.
Listen to “Stolen Fruit” by Tank and the Bangas below.