Geekery: The Sound of Luke Cage
One of the best things about the show is the music.
Before the show debuted the producers made a point of talking about music’s influence on the show – setting trailers to beats from Nas, ODB, and Run the Jewels. The opening titles set the stage for a host of brilliant artists that are featured in each episode.
The original score was written by Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest. It’s a masterful blend of 90s hip hop beats and orchestral score that takes cues from Ennio Marricone, jazz, soul, and classic genre films of the 1970s. It is unique, and it makes the show stand out from other Marvel projects. Younge and Muhammad “… sought to create a score that reflects the world of Luke Cage. We see this world as a place where classic cinema meets classic Hip Hop.” And they certainly did.
For the vinyl junkies out there: Mondo is taking orders for a two LP set (180 gram vinyl) that showcases the score and has collectible artwork by Matthew Woodson. The special edition vinyl from Mondo sounds awesome and the packaging is quality. If you’re digging this soundtrack you should snag this for your collection.
Luke Cage – Original Soundtrack 2XLP – $35.00
Along with the score there’s a lot of original tracks and performances woven throughout the series that help define it. Producer Cheo Hodari Coker promised the “Wu Tang-ification of the Marvel universe” and he really delivered on that. It’s got a perfect mix of artists from De La Soul and a Tribe Called Quest to Miles Davis and Nina Simone. It covers jazz, soul, blues, and hip-hop.
Marvel has released an official Spotify playlist:
This is the best show soundtrack of 2016, by far. Yes – better than Stranger Things. It sets a perfect tone for Luke’s world, and draws on the history of Harlem without pandering to it. I’m looking forward to what they’re going to come up with for the next season (not confirmed, but we all know…) – and how this will impact the rest of the MCU in the long run.
What is your favorite use of music in Luke Cage?
