That’s a quote from SO.Crates’ MC Cazeaux OSLO about this song, one they recorded before COVID really got its grips in everyone’s business.
The song is primarily about the anger caused by “so many black folks dying needlessly in America, my homeland”, and that duality is perfectly captured.
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The verses are word-dense but it feels like there’s seldom any time wasted, which is rare. The chorus brings in those negative vibes that give OSLO something to play off, showcasing his positivity in light of the otherwise negative things that could serve to drag him down.
The real crux of his positivity feels like it’s addressed by saying that “this is where the heart belongs”- in a positive space. It feels almost too easy to say that people are ‘meant’ to be positive, but it’s hard to deny when you feel the energy that he’s displaying over the track.
It’s light, soulful, but still has enough backbone to carry his messaging. It’s also a part of an AA single, the other of which is titled ‘Fresh Gold Bloom-age’. The positivity isn’t slowing down.
Think positive thoughts, first and foremost, but also think of older-era jazz/soul fusion rap records. There’s a bit of Tribe Called Quest, even just some of Q-Tip’s solo stuff, De La Soul, groups like that. Pete Rock. The classics.
It’s a positive message that’s completely overwhelming, and that feels necessary. There’s just something great about positive brass-edged hip hop that is undeniable and inevitable. This is a song in that bracket.
