Key Takeaways
- The short film uses spoken word to examine Mississippi’s legacy of violence and resistance.
- Lynae Vanee draws on the memory of Sam Cooke and Emmett Till to challenge passive hope.
- “Mississippi Cry” previews her upcoming mixtape, Sundays in the Overflow, Vol. 1, rooted in spiritual and cultural storytelling.
Artist, activist, and cultural commentator Lynae Vanee is pushing her spoken word era forward with “Mississippi Cry,” a new single out now via 440 Artists. Arriving with a matching visual, the release doubles as both tribute and challenge by nodding to Mississippi as the birthplace of Vanee’s mother’s family. The track is also in honor of the late Sam Cooke, whose “A Change Is Gonna Come” became a civil rights-era anthem shaped by the terror of Jim Crow.
On “Mississippi Cry,” “The People’s Brief” host didn’t romanticize the state’s history. Instead, she confronted it head-on, referencing atrocities like the lynching of Emmett Till while framing the present as a moment that still demands action. The record is positioned as a call to stop waiting on progress and become it ourselves, turning reflection into a charge for self-determination.
Vanee also traced her own creative spark back to a moment that felt like prophecy. “Chance The Rapper’s performance of his unreleased song ‘First World Problems’ was the first time I saw something and said, ‘THAT’S what I want to do,’” she shared via a press release. Pointing to the lyric “Flint don’t got clean water,” she added, “That was eight years ago. And guess what: At the time I wrote this, in 2025, Flint still didn’t have clean water.”
“Mississippi Cry” sets the stage for Vanee’s full-length debut mixtape, Sundays in the Overflow, Vol. 1, due later this year. The project follows her debut spoken word single “I Want More,” which arrived with a John Dierre-directed visual featuring Vanee in a statement dress by Nigerian designer Fruché, plus a vocal chorus that helps establish the song’s communal urgency. Sonically, the mixtape promises live instrumentation, Hip Hop influence, and meditative vibes rooted in Black storytelling and spiritual reclamation. It’ll also be supported by a merchandise collection largely created by Black women-owned businesses, including a Gullah Geechee herbal blend crafted by artisan Jacqueline Williams.
From “The People’s Brief” to the booth, Lynae Vanee’s platform keeps growing
Vanee continues to expand far beyond viral moments. She won the CROWN Awards’ 2023 Reel Impact Award and is a Digital Content Creator nominee for the 2026 NAACP Image Awards. Additionally, she built a community of over a million followers while collaborating with the likes of Issa Rae and former Vice President Kamala Harris. In an interview with REVOLT, she described herself as “a translator,” focused on breaking down real-world issues “with an unapologetically Black lens.” It’s the same purpose that now shows up — loudly — in her music.