American Descendant of Slavery, the Album

Terry Blade’s debut studio album is an evocative ethnographic musical album, artfully blending original compositions with archival recordings of formerly enslaved African-Americans drawn from the U.S. Library of Congress’s Folklife Center. Anchored in Blade’s lived experience as a Black, queer millennial, the album traverses genres—spanning R&B, neo-soul, folk, jazz, spoken word, and hip-hop—to explore themes of lineage, identity, and resilience through a deeply personal prism. Over nineteen immersive tracks, historical voice-prints are woven into interludes and full songs alike, transforming each moment into a haunting dialogue between tradition and the present.

Critics responded with profound resonance: Stereo Stickman described the project as a “cultural and personal deep-dive into historical context,” one that confronts and moves listeners with cinematic urgency. SoundLooks heralded it as “nothing short of a pure masterpiece,” applauding its heartbreaking honesty and the haunting power of Blade’s rich, soulful baritone. Stepkid Magazine highlighted its unique capacity to elevate archival voices into historical record, while African Hype praised its fearless engagement with slavery, homophobia, and racism, all through a dynamic, genre-blending musical vision.

The album’s impact extends beyond its artistry: it won a Summit Creative Award (Audio – Bronze), was named a “Release of Note” by Black Grooves (the AAAMC publication), and earned a Graphis Design Award (Silver) for its visually striking cover—affirming its significance as both a cultural statement and a design artifact.

With American Descendant of Slavery, the Album, Terry Blade delivers not only a debut—but a powerful act of cultural preservation and truth-telling, weaving history and heritage into a soundscape that demands both reflection and emotion.