Now in its second year, Summer of Soul produced by Culture X Design kicks off July 2 with none other than Bilal as the opening-night headliner.
Known for his genre-bending sound that fuses soul, jazz, funk and experimental R&B, Bilal has worked with musical heavyweights from The Roots to Erykah Badu and Kendrick Lamar to Common. His critically acclaimed debut album, 1st Born Second, established him as a cornerstone of a movement, and his contribution to Kendrick's To Pimp a Butterfly earned him a Grammy Award.
I sat down with Bilal just ahead of his show in Milwaukee for a conversation about the personal experiences that shaped his sound, the influence of family and the dream collaborations still on his radar. You can hear the full interview using the player at the top of the page and catch Bilal at 8 p.m. next Wednesday, July 2, at the Peck Pavilion, with Milwaukee's own celebrated guitarist and soul artist Shonn Hinton opening the night.
