We’re All Dead in the Living Room: The Nihilist’s Guide
The Setting I loved this title because it’s a nihilistic approach to where I’m at. The living room is the space where we all exist, but in my head, time doesn't really exist, we’re just in a waiting room for the end. So, in a sense, we’re all dead in the living room already.
The Muse The intro pulls from one of my favorites: Pretty Woman. I had a crush on Julia Roberts, but it was more than that. Her character arc, the idea that a "bad girl" can turn good, makes me want to treat women right. It made me wish I was in the man’s shoes, just to feel that specific type of comfort and warmth.
The Tragedy "My Friend Hurt Himself" is a raw story about suicide. I was very careful with this one. I stripped away all the fillers to make sure I stuck strictly to the topic. It’s a heavy, unfiltered look at a reality most people look away from.
The Mystery The track "Natalie Didn't Kill Herself" came to me as soon as I heard the production. I had just finished watching Natalie Wood in West Side Story. Her real-life story is a sad one, and I felt like I had to tell it through my lens.
The Identity "Typical Black Boy" came from me looking at the people around me and realising how much we have in common. It’s not just about what we’ve been through, but what we could go through just because of the color of our skin. I saw myself in that, the inability to show affection, the silence. I saw it in my friends, too.
The Pivot I used "Just Enough (Interlude)" to break the tape. It’s inspired by my hero, Muhammad Ali. I used his braggadocious energy to show I’m the best at this rapping. But even in that, there’s a realisation: "If one hand must wash the other hand my life hasn’t began." I’m alive, but I haven't lived yet. I’m still "sorting the land" and getting myself ready.
The Light "I’ve Seen" brings in a gospel energy with Shanay Maliya. It’s heavy flows and bars. "We start the fight, me vs might, I’m calm I hold my candle up to the light." It’s the struggle of the self against the potential of what I could be.
"To Each His Own." From a writing perspective, this is one of my favorites I’ve ever put together. It’s got the heavy topics, the bars, the deep references, all that "reubencmg stuff" that defines the pen.