by Anthony V. Fraccalvieri
photo by Frank Maddocks
A contender for a face on rock guitar Mount Rushmore alongside Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, it would seem that Gary Clark Jr. doesn’t have much left to prove. From a Grammy for his 2014 single “Please Come Home” to opening slots for The Rolling Stones to accolades from President Obama, one can’t argue that Clark doesn’t have the Midas touch. It would be uncharacteristic of such a luminary to sit on his laurels, however. On the title track of this year’s release This Land, Clark explores what it means to be a successful young black man leveling up on his lifestyle. Much like Notorious B.I.G. did on “Juicy” 25 years ago, Clark doesn’t apologize for getting paid as he delivers cutting lines such as: “50 acres and a Model A, right in the middle of Trump country.” Perhaps he does have more to prove, after all.
