9NI9HT BLENDS JAMAICAN DUB, HIP-HOP, & ROCK IN REVOLUTIONARY DEBUT SINGLE “BLACK ARK”
9NI9HT BLENDS JAMAICAN DUB, HIP-HOP, & ROCK IN REVOLUTIONARY DEBUT SINGLE “BLACK ARK” FEATURING LEE “SCRATCH” PERRY
NEW PROJECT FROM RACQUEL JONES (FORMERLY THIEVERY CORPORATION) & CHUCK DOOM (CROSSES, TEAM SLEEP, SAUDADE)
Los Angeles, CA | August 1, 2025 - 9Ni9ht, the genre-defying duo formed by vocalist and visual artist Racquel Jones (formerly of Thievery Corporation) and multi-instrumentalist/producer Chuck Doom (formerly of Crosses, Team Sleep, and Saudade), is making their mark with their debut single, “Black Ark.” Featuring the iconic Lee “Scratch” Perry, the track is a dynamic fusion of Jamaican dub, hip-hop, alt-rock, and jazz that pushes the boundaries of genre and sound. It’s as much a sonic revolution as it is a bold statement about the world we live in.
The name 9Ni9ht is rooted in the Jamaican Nine-Night ceremony, a sacred tradition symbolizing both spiritual transition and the reclaiming of power. The duo’s music builds on that concept, offering a transformative listening experience that challenges societal systems of oppression. “Black Ark” serves as a raw, unapologetic protest anthem, confronting injustice head-on while laying the groundwork for the duo’s unique sound and vision.
Releasing on August 1st - also Emancipation Day in Jamaica - the single is steeped in symbolism. “This was me summoning all the ancestors that have caused change and a shift in history that we now have the luxury of enjoying. I feel we're at this crucial point in life now where we need that again,” Jones says of “Black Ark”. “So we need to unearth that need for change by any means necessary in order to move us forward. Suddenly we have taken steps to hundreds of years back. How are we here fighting these battles again?”
The accompanying video opens with a spectral image of Perry, embodying the spirit of ancestors, guiding us through symbolic locations that speak to the legacy of oppression. One key scene takes place at a tower built by slaves on the grounds of a former sugar plantation, now a school, symbolizing the reclamation of spaces once defined by suffering and exploitation. This visual narrative, paired with the track’s unrelenting drive, presents a powerful plea for change.
The surreal self-portrait created by Jones for the single’s artwork deepens this narrative. Inspired by Kehinde Wiley’s A New Republic series and the Renaissance Equestrian period, the image features a mystical female figure on horseback - a guardian figure, riding through the rings of power with clarity and intent. It’s a reimagining of a historically laden visual language, softened with mysticism yet hard-hitting in its confrontation of reality. The figure rides through a spiritual battleground, one where destruction and renewal go hand in hand.
“This isn't just cover art. It's a portal”, shares Jones. “A visual Mantra, a reflection of what it means to stand at the center of collapse and still carry your light. “
Beyond the artwork, the symbolism in “Black Ark” continues to resonate with the influence of Perry’s own Black Ark studio in Jamaica, which he destroyed in an act of purification. This theme of destruction and rebirth runs through both the song and the visuals, as 9Ni9ht contemplates the need to dismantle systems of oppression in order to build something new and free.
“Black Ark” is more than just a debut single, it’s a statement on the power of art to spark change. It’s complex, confrontational, and visionary, with 9Ni9ht pushing the boundaries of what music can say and how it can say it. With this debut, the duo makes it clear: change is coming, and it starts with them.
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Credit: Christopher “Puma” Smith
