Now In the OJonesMusicFest Spotlight
The OJonesMusicFest Spotlight series highlights artists whose music builds bridges between creativity, culture, and community. Our first feature introduced readers to Rochelle Bloom, whose blend of vulnerability and artistry set the tone for the series.
This time, the spotlight shifts to Sam Peezy, joined by collaborators Antski205 and Jarrett Burton, whose project REvolution honors Medgar Evers and transforms history into a living, breathing call for justice.
Southern Roots and Shared Commitment
Sam Peezy, born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, carries deep Southern roots into his artistry, blending Hip-Hop, jazz, gospel, and soul. His 2025 album Medgar Evers – Hero: A Story By Sam Peezy became the first full-length album in American music history dedicated to honoring Medgar and Myrlie Evers (Wikipedia).
Antski205 (Anthony Williams), based in nearby Birmingham, has long balanced Hip-Hop and activism. His work over the decades with producer/engineer Big Magic (Bennie Hertz) and involvement in community cultural spaces highlights how Alabama artists use music as both expression and action (Instagram).
Jarrett Burton, an Atlanta (Georgia) area singer grounded in gospel traditions, contributes the vocal backbone of REvolution. His commanding voice adds a spiritual dimension that pushes the song into the territory of revival and remembrance.
Together, these three carry Southern Activists’ legacy of resistance into a modern cultural moment.
The Video: A Meeting Becomes a Movement
The REvolution music video begins with an activist conversation:
- A fellow activist warns of sheriffs and dogs waiting for confrontation.
- Sam Peezy replies, “nonviolent… but not silent”, before putting a gun in his pocket—a symbol of vigilance in a nonviolent struggle.
- He delivers a charge: “This ain’t just a March… this a Revolution… NOW.”
The setting then shifts to a church, a historically sacred space for organizing.
- Antski205 speaks from the podium, repeating: “Ain’t no turning me around… Revolution in one sound.”
- Jarrett Burton stands in the pulpit area, positioned where a choir would traditionally sing and a powerful message would be shared. Though no choir appears, the pews are filled with somber attendees, bearing the weight of the words and the moment.
The church scenes ground the video in collective memory, echoing the Civil Rights Movement while situating it in the present.
Themes of Power, Legacy, and Spirit
Antski205’s verse unfolds like a sermon in rhythm and rhyme:
- “Shot him in the back like a coward… say his name (Medgar)… kill the man but the idea still lives.”
- “Power been with the people… we gave the power to the evil… misuse of that same power.”
Each bar ties Medgar Evers’ assassination to the ongoing misuse of power in America. Jarrett Burton’s refrain, “Ain’t going to let nobody turn me around,” reworks the classic Civil Rights anthem, layering new urgency onto an old freedom song.
The closing shot of Sam Peezy, tearful, encapsulates the emotional weight of carrying forward Evers’ legacy.
Why “REvolution” Matters
The capitalized “RE” in REvolution speaks volumes. It symbolizes Re-energizing, Re-awakening, and Re-committing to justice. The song is not simply a tribute to the past but a revival for the present, ensuring that Medgar Evers’ sacrifice fuels today’s struggles for equality.
In the context of OJonesMusicFest, REvolution stands as a cultural landmark—an artistic moment where history, Hip-Hop, and community converge.
Looking Ahead
As the OJonesMusicFest Spotlight grows, artists like Sam Peezy, Antski205, and Jarrett Burton remind us that music does not just entertain—it transforms, uplifts, and mobilizes. If Rochelle Bloom revealed the raw power of self-expression, REvolution proves that Hip-Hop fused with gospel can reawaken the fight for justice itself.
