Arrested
Development drops their brand new single “Living” on September
27th (iTunes & Amazon). The song is a departure from the groups usual
(life music) sound, produced by Randy Walker.
“Living” brings a beat heavy, horn drenched grit, with Speech
taking center stage articulating the joy & frustration of living as an
atypical MC in todays music industry. AD member Tasha Larae delivers a spirit
raising hook, while other AD members stick staunchly to middle eastern background
vocals & their respective instruments.
This song is possibly the first of recent AD tunes that can surface within
rap formats with a BPM that is similar to other songs out today. The group
deserves applause for sticking to message, while bringing a neglected rap
topic to the forefront. It’s lyrically more in the tradition of blues
than contemporary hip-hop, straying away from party themes & shopping
sprees, and focusing on the struggles of life.
Given todays atmosphere in rap, the question could be asked, “is rap
allowed to be thought provoking anymore?” Can a MC talk about the frustrations
of fatherhood like in Speech’s line, “They acting like I’m
dumb, including my only son, He’s sixteen acting like he’s going
on sixty-one“, plus spout off about feeling like an “outcast”
without sounding bitter?
This song doesn’t at all sound bitter, but instead determined. The
chorus sings, “Everyday I rise on a mission, please forgive me if I
mess up, I’m improving, living!”
It seems the group is set on exposing the struggles of being conscious in
a dumbed down market & aging within a youth oriented genre, this topic
is fair ground as hugely popular MC’s like Lil Wayne approach 30, Nas
is 38 and Jay-Z‘s in his early 40 "s.
Speech is among the first to address b-boys & girls becoming grown men
& women (Listen to: “The Grown Folks Table” & An Impact”
from his solo album). AD’s new single, “Living” is a testimony
to hip hop’s continuing evolution from a group that has long been a
torch bearer for that legacy!
Check out the official website for Arrested Development here:
http://arresteddevelopmentmusic.com/
hiphopgods.com 09.03.11