The eerie first seconds of the song induce a feeling of reflection, of meditation, of sitting back and contemplating the intricacies of your own reality. ”They tell me what’s done in the dark will find a way to shine/ Must be time to open my eyes and finally take what’s mine” – why do all songs lately resonate so much with what’s going on globally? Music used to be a sort of bubble of escape, but as of recently, there’s a huge rise in conscious, realistic, raw lyricism as Tyrek did with Keys to the City. We are awakening.
The flow vibes so well with the instrumental, in a tandem of sadness, but not in a bad way, more in the sense of ”So this is the hand I was dealt. Okay. Let’s see what I can do about it”. As Tyrek raps about his thoughts, I want to draw attention on a very interesting peculiarity: his flow can not be anticipated. And this has always been a mystery to me, how artists like Tyrek can ride the beat flawlessly and still be unpredictable. And this element of surprise keeps the listener replaying the song as one wants to feel closer to the lyrics. ”Used to sit out on my balcony inhalin nature/ Kickin rhymes with my feet on the table, I’m stable/ Least in this current state, but when my name blows/ I’ll be heard cross the nation, been patiently waitin” – I find this unnervingly dismantling as Tyrek seems to be in a place many of us wish they could reach: being okay with who you are, exactly where you are, and trusting the process.
Honestly, he got so many lines that are quote-worthy: ”If I can get my foot in the door I’m good everywhere I stand”, ”I keep my room clean, so my thoughts don’t get dirty”, ”They say your body’s a temple, I maintain Montessori”, ”Only f*ck with n***** that prove to me what trust is”, ”From the moment I was born the clock started tickin”. Now someone get some flashcards and learn from Tyrek’s life experience ’cause this artist got a golden mine in his brain.
Keys to the City does not make you go bananas and spit skittles out your eyes BUT… it will make a good companion in the evenings when you don’t want the prying eyes of the world on you. When you just enjoy your existence and reflect on yourself from a third party perspective.
An ending word from Tyrek himself: ”This song is a reflection of the freedom I felt in being able to legally drive combined with the freedom I feel in the music industry to really take the reigns and use my potential. Special Thanks as well to Toussaint Malik on the production and engineering.”
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Get Keys to the City on Apple Music HERE, on Deezer HERE, on Amazon HERE, on Tidal HERE. Follow Tyrek directly on Instagram HERE.