There are a lot of ways to approach Netflix’s Luke Cage, and as much as the writing team crafted a product for comic book and Marvel Cinematic Universe fans, there is also a deep appreciation for how music reflects a landscape. Every episode is titled after a song from famed Brooklyn hip-hop act Gang Starr. Even the way the characters talk about it is natural and adds to the authenticity of the Harlem and New York they are trying to create. Characters debate their top picks, Mobb Deep’s “Shook Ones” is referenced to ground a memory in time, and Method Man’s appearance in a bodega (and subsequent freestyle on Sway’s radio show) has even Luke himself fanboying. The Harlem nightclub at the centre of early conflict and action in the series also provides a showcase for talented black acts — such as the Raphael Saddiq (whose name is awkwardly dropped multiple times in the first episode, which led me to believe he might be a character later) and Jidenna. As a whole, the show might have its own faults, but the soundtrack and music are definitely a highlight.
Soundbite: Listen to Luke (Cage’s soundtrack)
This article was published on October 15, 2016 and may be out of date. To maintain our historical record, The Cascade does not update or remove outdated articles.
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