“Daddy Daughter Day”

By Pierce Freelon

Pierce raps about banana floats, roller skating and smelling the daisies in this playful, upbeat tune. It’s one of 15 songs on his new family album, D.A.D. Inspired by his journey through fatherwood, Pierce blends hip hop, electronic jazz, Afro-Caribbean and soul into an energetic musical quilt about family life.

“Tuck Me in” explores the challenges of negotiating bedtime, inspired by real conversations about monsters in the closet. In “Tooth Bruh” [sic], his daughter Stella takes the lead in this dentist-approved mashup of electronic synths and whimsical lyrics. Other fun songs for kids and parents include “Gather Your Clothes” and “Movies and Popcorn and Video Games.” The album also addresses serious issues, as in his song “My Body,” which emphasizes respect and boundaries. Pierce, who lives in Durham, is joined on the album by other talented NC-based musicians, including vocalist Rissi Palmer and rappers J. Gunn and KronoZ Time.

Pierce co-founded Beat Making Lab, an Emmy Award-winning PBS web series, founded Blackspace, a digital makerspace for youth of African descent and taught music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.