While we’re living what’s probably one of the most unstable periods of contemporary history, there are rappers like Young Dirt who defy stereotypes and affectionately preserve family values. Coming from Reidsville, North Carolina, Young Dirt honours his children and commitment towards their wellbeing in his newest release, Lord Willin’. The record is distinctive in its organic instrumentation, charming in its soul-bearing narrative, and memorable in its structure. “I wrote this song the day after my youngest daughter Eliana was born. As soon as we got her home from the hospital, my producer, Robb County, told me to check my email. As soon as the beat dropped, I was so overwhelmed looking at my new child in my arms that I couldn’t stop my pen from moving. The intro is actually a sound clip of my second youngest daughter, Sydnie, on her first trip to the studio with me. I had been trying to think of a way to work it onto my project as a skit. As soon as I started writing this song I knew this had to be it!” endearingly shares Young Dirt for Blue Rhymez Entertainment.
As the artist detailed, Sydnie’s voice amusingly marks the introductory segment of Lord Willin’: “Test… I’m Sydnie… I like to sing… Ooohhhoohhh *taps mic*.” The girl seized the opportunity and gave us her first official run 😀 The father’s laughter that follows immediately points to the natural progression of events that took place. This was not planned or scripted. This was an exemplary father opening the world of professional recording to his very young daughter.
After some more banter between the two, the conversation swiftly derails to a Christmas tree! We’re assuming there was a legit Christmas tree somewhere in the studio as children don’t have any filters on their observations 😀 “Why do they have a Christmas tree?; Ok you’re done… *laughs*.”
“Lord willin’/ Long as I’m livin’/ Imma hold it down/ For every one of my children, yeah/ I don’t even want a lot/ All I really ask my baby mommas to keep it hot/ Lord willin’/ Long as I’m livin’/ Imma hold it down/ For every one of my children, yeah/ Every single one of y’all/ Maliyah, Kallie, Janae and Sydnie, and Eliana,” sing-raps Young Dirt the hook of Lord Willin’. The sentimentalism is displayed frontline by relying heavily on the artist’s voice to carry the earworm factor. Simple, clear, easy to follow, the chorus proves remarkably durable.
“Lord willin’/ I promise my kids/ To gather every single dollar I shoulda got out the biz/ From all the shows that I done to the features and vids/ But till it come I work fingers to the bone in this b*tch,” raps Young Dirt in a vein similar to the hook although palpably stronger in delivery. The artist dived straight into the current state of affairs in the music industry: if you’re independent, you’re grinding and fighting. Amen. Only an independent artist knows how many jobs and simultaneous skills they have to develop to stay afloat. And if there are children in the picture, with every child the respect increases tenfold. It’s not a path for everyone and you have to be a different breed to do both music and family. “Imma keep grinding/ Keep hustling/ Whether 9-5 or whippin’ up in the bubbles just/ As long as my seeds/ Keep a positive view/ Sh*t that’s plenty of motivation to keep thuggin’ it thru for real,” confirms the Rap artist our assumptions and train of thought.
Young Dirt then shifts his message to several interesting subjects concomitantly: people who might interfere with his ability to provide for his children, his potentially violent past, and his new more laid-back personality. “I never been a dead beat/ A n**** try to take the food out they mouths, n**** you dead meat/ sh*t I’m still the same OG/ Don’t get it twisted cuz a n**** workin’ paid OT/ ‘Cause I can clock out at 5/ Give you n***** the blues/ And you be pushin’ up the daisies by the 7 clock news But uh…/ Lord willin’/ Imma be chillin’/ Pistol in the stash don’t make a n**** reveal it mane…”
The hypnotic consistent flow of formidable clarity is the center ingredient in Lord Willin’ and the best part is how Young Dirt succeeds in transitioning from one sequence of the song to the next in a subtle and smooth manner making it a pleasant excursion into the rapper’s personal life.
The second verse is strikingly diverse in its blunt recount of real-life events. You know it’s real when the details are overwhelming: “But the message today/ I wish I coulda been more consistently there for Janae/ See you was my firstborn/ I was only a teen/ And it’s a lot that f*cking happened between ya mama and me/ I made a lotta mistakes/ Some because I was young/ And ’cause it wasn’t a lotta opportunity where I’m from.” Goosebumps! Given that we’re 99% broke and 1% mega-rich, we’re betting that almost everyone reading this will relate to the forbiddingly complex ways of life rooted in poverty. Young Dirt proceeds with assuming responsibility, “But it’s not an excuse/ I just thought you deserved more so I tried to produce,” and in his manly yet warm voice, ends on a universal truth: “I was hustling to buy you some presents/ When I shoulda made time to be present but this the message baby.” If you’re crying, we understand.
Lord Willin’ is a song exceedingly delicate and complex laid on an instrumental that allows the artist to show strong emotions, commercial songwriting capabilities, and that unmistakable je-ne-sais-quoi.
Song Credits: Carl Lewis Ross Jr. (Young Dirt) – Artist, Songwriter; Sydnie Ross – Intro Skit; Morris Crawford (Robb County) – Music Producer; Jermaine Rodman (Digital Lab Recordings) – Sound Engineer.
Make sure you support Young Dirt by streaming Lord Willin’ on Apple Music HERE, on Amazon HERE, on Deezer HERE, on Tidal HERE, on YouTube Music HERE, and on Spotify below:
Written by Mariana Berdianu
Blue Rhymez Entertainment ©2021
Blue Rhymez Entertainment 