The Sound of Black Punk

“The Sound of Black Punk” highlights a raw and wide-ranging collection of tracks from artists reshaping punk through a Black lens. This playlist spans decades of underground and emerging sounds—pulling in classic cuts like Death’s “Keep On Knocking” and Bad Brains’ “Banned in D.C.” alongside present-day standouts like Zulu’s “Where I'm From” and The Muslims’ “Fuck the Cistem.” Whether rooted in hardcore, post-punk, riot grrrl, or experimental noise, the songs here channel frustration, identity, defiance, and liberation.

There's a dynamic energy throughout—from the frenetic noise-punk of Pleasure Venom’s “Hive” and the politically charged groove of Bob Vylan’s “We Live Here,” to the genre-bending chaos of Danny Denial’s “CCCHOKEMEEE.” Female-fronted acts like Big Joanie, The Txlips Band, and Meet Me @ The Altar bring their own approach to punk’s edge, while voices from the global scene, like Chikwata.263 and 340ml, expand its sonic scope. Together, these tracks map a powerful continuum of Black artists claiming space in the punk scene on their own terms.