Raphael Saadiq is a Grammy-winning songwriter, producer, and artist from Oakland, California. He was the lead singer of the legendary ’90s R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné!. As a producer, he’s worked with D’Angelo, TLC, Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston, Solange Knowles, and John Legend. In August 2019, Raphael released his fifth solo album, Jimmy Lee, which is named for his late older brother. In this episode, he breaks down a song he made with his nephew, Dylan Wiggins, called “Kings Fall.” You can buy or stream “Kings Fall” here. For a transcript of this episode, click here. Illustration by Carlos Lerma.

footnotes Otis Redding Ali Shaheed Muhammed A Tribe Called Quest Electric sitar