We are delighted to announce that the Albumism family continues to expand with the key addition of Brandon Ousley. With an expansive knowledge of and impassioned appreciation for music, Brandon is a welcome addition who bolsters our continued content development. “Being a music enthusiast that specializes deeply in the hemispheres of soul, jazz, and funk, I am always drawn toward ‘the album’ as an integral part of the musical experience,” Brandon explains. “Every album presents a narrative, inviting the listener to explore, interrogate, and investigate its several journeys.”

We look forward to Brandon’s contributions and perspectives in the future, and encourage the Albumism community to check out his great work, including his debut articles: a stellar revisiting of Aretha Franklin’s classic, Curtis Mayfield produced 1976 album Sparkle, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, and a primer on De La Soul’s new single “Pain” featuring Snoop Dogg.

More about Brandon:

Brandon Ousley is a budding writer, blogger, media creator/personality, and photographer. A Chicagoan and Roosevelt University graduate, he currently holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism, specializing in communications and black studies. He has written for Roosevelt University’s own Torch newspaper for five years, along with co-producing and writing award-winning media pieces for the university as well. In 2014, Ousley had the distinction of directing and producing Leo Burnett Chicago’s Mosaic award-winning promotional video for their ‘Medley’ event. He has done radio work for Roosevelt University’s student-ran WRBC radio station and has interned for Chicago’s black-owned, talk radio station WVON-1690 AM. His deep appreciation for music ranges across several decades and genres, but most favorably from the soul, jazz, and funk realm. Follow Brandon on Twitter via @brandonousley.

Brandon’s 5 Favorite Albums of All Time:

Xzibit’s Debut Album ‘At the Speed of Life’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary

Xzibit formally launched his hip-hop career as a battle-tested warrior fighting for respect on his debut album, and thankfully, this same mentality continues to influence his music 30 years on.

The UMC’s’ Debut Album ‘Fruits of Nature’ Turns 35 | Album Anniversary

When the duo released their exuberant debut album, the hip-hop genre that they loved was becoming super serious and the project never received the widespread props that it deserved.

Jeru the Damaja’s ‘Wrath of the Math’ Turns 30 | Album Anniversary

On his sophomore album, Jeru takes aim at those he perceives as the enemies of hip-hop, including the Bad Boys and Death Rows of the world.