Many years apart, I recognized him in the news/He shot a black man that was sitting in his car/Near the same park where we used to shoot hoops/And all I could blame was the cause
Like an expert surgeon, Oddisee diagnoses and operates on one of the most damning social maladies crippling the nation: racism. Instead of pointing his finger at others he’s opening up and discussing his own personal tale, one that ends in a tragic loss of life. He doesn’t mince words, and jumps right into it explaining how ignorance destroyed a friendship. His white friend considered Oddisee a brother, that is until his friend’s dad lost his job. The friend blamed immigrants, and eventually become a cop; later shooting a black man in the same park they used to play at. The serious nature of the song marks an important milestone for Oddisee, who has grown both as a lyricist and producer. No longer adhering to loops and breaks, he orchestrates his own landscapes, taking charge of his growth and forging on undeterred.
