Roberta Flack, US Rep. Maxine Waters and more featured on new Poetry album 'On Imagination'

Celebrating life through the lens of contemporary African-American poetry and lyric art is the creative force behind Atlantic Records' new album, About Fantasy. Produced by award-winning music producer, engineer and singer-songwriter Ebonie Smith, the project features 12 poems performed by legendary black female artists and cultural icons such as Roberta Flack, Valerie Simpson, US Representative Maxine Waters and Dr. Angela Y. Davis.

June Jordan, Gwendolyn Bennett, Phillis Wheatley and Georgia Douglas Johnson are among the esteemed poets whose work is featured in the new work. As noted in About FantasyHis press package, the premise was to “harness art's transformative capacity to transform grief into joy and resilience, honoring the tradition of music as a life-giving, positive revolutionary force, while shining a light on language as a pathway for healing within in the Black community.”

Available now, About Fantasy was revealed for the first time in commemoration of this year's June celebration with Dr. Angela Y. Davis reciting Jordan's poem in 1982, “Towards home.” The full-length album's cast of performers also includes Valerie June, Danyel Smith, Genesis Be, Lori Lightfoot and Flyana Boss.

Currently an in-house engineer and producer for Atlantic, Smith has also worked on previous projects such as; Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording)Sturgill Simpson's A mariner's guide to EarthJanelle Monáe's Dirty computer and Cardi B's Grammy Award-winning Invasion of privacy.

In the announcement About Fantasyupon its arrival, Smith stated, “The poems on this album are restorative. They helped me heal and re-center after COVID. The language is challenging, requiring the listener to work for a deeper understanding, but those who make the effort will find the words of these poets truly powerful and transformative. In its wake [Migos member] After taking off, I turned to these poems to help me heal and understand the deaths that occur in and around hip-hop culture. The language on this album helped me find strength during that time.”

Another notable track on the album is the Bennett-penned “Fantasy,” performed by artist Dawn Richard. Accompanied by a dance piece choreographed by Ailey II artistic director Francesca Harper and filmed in collaboration with Richard and Ailey II alumni Maya Finman-Palmer, Brena K. Thomas and Maggy van den Heuvel with former The Ailey School student Raven Joseph. THE “Imagination” The video was shot at Ailey's home, the Joan Weill Center for Dance.

Richard commented, “19 years later I'm walking through the doors of Ailey on my own terms. The last time I danced in the Ailey Theater was inside [ABC/MTV reality series] Making the Band. Being back here and recreating a world of royalty and beauty through femininity and empowerment makes this moment so special. It talks about the power of women and perseverance. You can shape your own dreams, tell the story you want to tell, and dare to imagine the possibilities you want to create.”

“It was an absolute pleasure working with Dawn Richard, creating movement and collaborating with her on an anthem that celebrates the resilience and strength of women of color from the African diaspora,” added Harper. “As Ailey stands on the shoulders of our founder Alvin Ailey, who saw the importance of using dance as a vehicle for change, we are honored to partner with Atlantic Records on this landmark project that serves as a testament to the power of art in life us.”