Dirty $outh Regime have released numerous projects, however, one very special song evidently stands out more than the rest. Be Around approaches the subject of paying the bitter price for a better life in a very personal tone, summing up the very gray conception of life. The music of the record encapsulates the spirit of imagination and it aids the message in being delivered through minor chords, distant echoes, and a very melancholic motif. Black$inatra and DJ FreeChris, two of the members of the Dirty $outh Regime group, have forged a beautiful song that many young and older men will relate to and find their voice in.
The record established the mood from the first seconds, letting it clearly be known that this is a meaningful composition with a purposeful message. The doleful piano chords vibrate in a warm duality with the chopped synth and what sounds to be like, a cut vocal sample. “I got some problem I can’t talk about/ And that sh*t sucks ’cause I always think about it out loud” goes Blake$inatra’s voice. He succeeds in effortlessly conveying the mental anguish in few words: “Nah, it ain’t the tip/ And it’s all real pain/ Nah, it ain’t no drip/ Unless your talking about the tears/ Little walks in the rain little b*tch/ Walks in the rain little b*tch”. His words gradually increase in weight, with the last phrase showing one can’t truly respect another as his equal unless they’ve shared the same path.
The hook of Be Around structurally and acoustically reminds us of Gym Class Heroes, with the relatively slow-paced vocals, no synthetic adjustments, layered tracks, easily-memorable melodic line. It’s a high-quality hook. “Gotta get high ’cause I stay down/ And if ya hating and you getting slayed now/ Clutching this 40 and this b*tch got 30 rounds/ F*ck ’em we ball we all up in the game now/ If my team need me then you know Imma be around” – the need for threats and getting high pinpoint to the dark side that comes with having more money and only being able to trust few people. This is real life in gray shades, for “black or white” only takes place in fairy tales.
The 2nd verse starts off eerily with a lucid vision of what’s causing the fear and anxiety: “Living the movie and this flick is depressing/ These women and children they got yo boy stressing/ Ya think this sh*t I been through would’ve taught me a lesson”, sort of placing the artist far away from the main picture and allowing himself an introspective monologue. Seems our hero is able to withstand the pressure by shifting his focus on the material gains, offering a glimpse into his best times: “Have you ever made a band in 30 seconds?”.
DJ FreeChris makes his appearance on the record on the confessional bridge: “All I wanted was a helping hand/ All I wanted was to help a friend/ To show love and to make you smile/ And be right with you to the very end”, admitting that real interpersonal connections are the end goal for all humans. Kudos for abiding the same singing style as Blake$inatra as it permits the song to flow smoothly from start to end.
Be Around is a rap record that enlarges the audience’s perspective on the emotional dilemmas a man has to deal with on his way up in society. Whether you’re a man fighting the hundred-year-old masculinity stereotypes, or a young boy struggling to fit in with his circle of friends, this is the perfect song for you.
Song Credits: Written by Blake Atkinson (Blake$inatra) and Christopher Porterfield (DJ FreeChris); Produced by Riddiman
Make sure you add this incomparable song to your playlists on Amazon Music HERE, on Apple Music HERE, on Deezer HERE, and on Spotify below:
Written by Mariana Berdianu
Blue Rhymez Entertainment ©2020
Blue Rhymez Entertainment 