BRIDGING THE GENERATION GAP
Nostalgia.
Depth.
Confidence.
Eric tiptoes a fine line, teetering between a beloved retro sound with a modern flair of today, creating an unmatched track that focuses on "living your best life."
But not in the cliche sense.
It's much deeper than that.
Instead of suggesting you see a counselor or enjoy a night out with friends, he recommends looking inward.
What brings you peace - regardless of the environment around you?
You can hear so much confidence in his delivery. Not just in the words he uses, but how he uses them. The patience he portrays in emphasizing lines that should stand out, or letting others stand out on their own with an extra beat, demonstrates control and maturity on the mic that he's been developing for years. It's one of his best tracks to date.
Set to a political theme, he gets straight to the point. The government isn't responsible for your happiness (just safeguarding the pursuit of it). And naturally, that won't come from fame (i.e. social media) or fortune either.
The message rings loud and clear through a connection he establishes between childhood and today. The nostalgic nods give way to a time when he (and most others) remember feeling most happy and at peace. He contemplates his parent's daily, even mundane activities, that clearly brought them joy.
The bridge isn't just built through his words and wordplay, but his rap references, too.
Jay-Z's "Dead Presidents" sample and LL's "Loungin" interpolation act as the pillars of old, juxtaposed with multiple Kendrick call-outs that pose as the new.
Where does one find that peace?
Certainly not where society tells you.
So he takes the classic "Mo’ Money" lines and flips the original, admittedly superficial meaning into something much deeper - force-feeding you the point that wisdom far outweighs anything that you (or the government) can buy.
He narrates you down a path toward finding a new place that's just as safe and secure as you remember. And there's a moral to the story.
Despite this messy, selfish, politically chaotic, self-destructive world we live in today - it's easy to find your own personal escape through healthy activities you enjoy.
It comes to a climax with the best line of the track.
"I don’t reminisce cuz next year gon' be my favorite year."
It's not too fancy.
No double entendres.
No crazy rhyme schemes.
But the spirit of the line is palpable.
It hits you in the head, hovers, and hangs there for a while.
In fact, I was left thinking about it long after the track came to a close... And most certainly that's the point.
You can't go back to find your peace.
But you can recreate it in a new way.
Through the choices you make each day.
And that's on you.
