In celebration of Black History Month, Atwood Magazine has invited artists to contribute a series of essays that reflect on themes such as identity, music, culture, and inclusion.
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Today, Mobley, an Austin, TX-based writer, performer, producer, filmmaker, and all-around creative force, presents a special poem for Atwood Magazine's Black History Month series!
Mobley's music has garnered millions of streams on digital service providers and has been featured in sync placements on platforms such as HBO, FOX, NBC, ESPN, and CW. His songs have also received airplay on Alt Nation, KROQ, KUTX, ACL Radio, and KEXP, along with accolades from Billboard, Noisey, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Consequence of Sound, and American Songwriter. While he loves the studio, Mobley feels most alive when on the road. The dedicated frontman has played numerous festivals around the globe and has opened for artists like Cold War Kids, Phantogram, James Blake, and Bishop Briggs, among others.
Right now, Mobley is concentrating on the future: “Living with and working through these songs and stories has been the most rewarding challenge of my artistic journey. I'm eager to share it all and see how it evolves beyond just my vision.”
His newest single, “No Exit,” is currently available, and his upcoming album, ‘We Do Not Fear Ruins,’ is set to release on April 23rd through Last Gang Records/MNRK Music. “No Exit” features Mobley blending retro, contemporary, and futuristic sounds, starting with a Morricone-inspired whistled motif. Beneath its groove and cinematic flair lies a reflection on solipsism, solitude, and the “undiscovered country” of the afterlife. The contrast between the laid-back verses and the heartfelt choruses reflects the struggles of Jacob, a lifelong loner who still expresses his love for humanity, questioning in the refrain, “What am I without people?” The music video addresses the song’s profound themes with a touch of humor and wit.
In his poem “#000” (which represents the hexadecimal code for the color black), Mobley prompts us to rethink the boundaries of “representation” and the importance of claiming the narratives we engage with. Read the poem below, and listen to “No Exit” and other tracks wherever you enjoy music!
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by Mobley
there is nothing quite like the thrill of refusal
Black refusal
to be governable or
marketable or
make oneself understood
to be fixed by the gaze of another
to read the performance of one’s diverse identity
only from familiar, respectable scripts
to intone the sanctioned litanies
to spend any
more life than absolutely
necessary
biting tongue, biding time through the shortest month of the year
there is nothing quite like the thrill of refusal
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:: stream “No Exit” here ::
:: connect with Mobley here ::
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Nella sua poesia “#000” (dal nome del codice esadecimale per il colore nero), Mobley ci sfida a considerare i limiti della “rappresentazione” e il potere di cogliere i termini del discorso.
Continuando la loro ascesa, il quintetto di Indianapolis Wishy ritorna questo nuovo anno con una guida senza sforzo e il confortante senso di familiarità sulla loro ultima pista, “Fly.”
In his poem “#000” (titled after the hexadecimal code for the color black), Mobley invites us to reflect on the boundaries of “representation” and the strength found in taking control of the language used in discussions.