McKinley Dixon

Richmond, Virginia-based rapper McKinley Dixon writes complex, poetic narratives that are set to lushly orchestrated arrangements. His introspective lyrics examine trauma and heartbreak, specifically in relation to the Black experience in American society, ultimately expressing messages of growth, knowledge, pride, and celebration. He began releasing music during the mid-2010s and first reached a larger audience with his third album, 2021′s For My Mama and Anyone Who Look Like Her. The Toni Morrison-inspired Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!? appeared in 2023 and received widespread acclaim.
McKinley Dixon was born in Annapolis, Maryland and grew up in the city as well as Jamaica, Queens. Strongly inspired by the literature of Nobel Prize-winning novelist Toni Morrison as well as OutKast’s boundary-pushing hip-hop in addition to theatrical rock bands like My Chemical Romance, he began making music while attending college in Richmond, Virginia. His first album, 2016′s Who Taught You to Hate Yourself?, discussed subjects such as faith, police brutality, and internalized racism. It featured appearances by Guilty Simpson, the late Sean Price, and Dr. Cornel West. The album was followed in 2018 by The Importance of Self Belief, a more empowering effort that further incorporated jazzy live instrumentation. “Anansi, Anansi” appeared as a one-off single on Saddle Creek in 2019, and Dixon released the EP The House That Got Knocked Down in 2020.
For My Mama and Anyone Who Look Like Her, considered the final album in a trilogy, was issued by Spacebomb Records in 2021. Dixon made a guest appearance on hardcore punk group Soul Glo’s acclaimed 2022 release, Diaspora Problems. Next surfacing on City Slang, Dixon released Beloved! Paradise! Jazz​!​?, titled after three Toni Morrison novels, in 2023. Pushing his craft to a new level of sophistication, the album featured guests such as Anjimile, Angélica Garcia, and Ghais Guevara. ~ Paul Simpson