“if rap don’t work”
this is not a review of dave’s album
I’ve been a fan of Dave for a while now. Back in February 2021, I ventured out of the confines of my room to see his We’re All Alone in This Together tour. Storm Eunice caused significant damage to the O2 Arena, leading to rescheduled tour dates, but I still managed to make it. All in all, it was an enthralling night highlighting the artist’s versatility, creativity and ability to perform.
Since then, fans awaited another album, which he graciously released in October, entitled “The Boy Who Played the Harp.” However, as mentioned in the subtitle, this is not a review of his latest work. To quote the man himself:
“We don’t need no commentators, we could leave that to the sports. Just listen to the music, why do you need somebody’s thoughts? And some of it constructive, but most of it is forced.”
Now, transitioning from album releases, I wanted to focus on a video that Dave posted online a year ago to celebrate his 26th birthday. It features a freestyle, which at first seemed like any other, but ended up sparking conversation due to a particular lyric:
“If rap don’t work, then Santan back in the streets.”
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This bar alone incurred the wrath, well, fake outrage, of some of the rapper’s core fanbase. Not because of the thought of their idol quitting music or not being able to make a living off it, but because this statement almost seems to contradict his current status.
Dave? Rap? Not working out? It must be rage bait! Mr Millionaire? Mr “My card declined, but let’s be real, she knows I’m rich, so I ain’t embarrassed”? Impossible. This is not a new or original sentiment, with variants of this verse being used by other rappers. But coming from Dave, it feels different.
It spoke to a wider problem we often find. If someone who has practically “made it” is talking about being at risk of losing it all or not making it work, then what hope do the rest of us have? And before you say I’m deeping this too much, let me just say this: of course I am. How else was I meant to coax you into reading this post?
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Fear is a funny thing. It stands over our shoulder whispering, sowing seeds of doubt. “This will probably fail”, or “What’s the backup plan?” And no, this isn’t one of those “If you have a Plan B, you don’t trust in your Plan A” discussions.
When all you’ve ever wished for, all you’ve ever wanted in this life, finally arrives, how will you handle it? Will you truly believe it is yours? Sometimes we can’t enjoy the things we’ve received because we’re too busy preparing for the day they are taken.
You’ve worked hard to get that job, but never really settle in because you’re sure you’ll one day have an impromptu 4:45 PM meeting with HR discussing redundancy and severance packages. You never truly enjoy the house you’ve been able to buy, petrified with that constant reminder that one missed payment and the bank will remind you who truly owns it. You never get to appreciate the relationship you are in for fear that they’ll one day up and leave if you drop the ball.
We constantly live in fight-or-flight mode. Constantly thinking we’re centimetres away from the edge when we’re really chilling on a hammock somewhere.
How exhausting that life must be. To never truly believe you’ve arrived, just in transition.
I occasionally think about Dave’s freestyle. Maybe I am deeping it too much. Maybe he is confident in the place he’s in now and believes the ship he’s on can never capsize. Maybe it was just a lyric. But for many of us, “if ___ doesn’t work”, isn’t a lyric, it’s a way of life.
The rug won’t suddenly be pulled from under your feet. This is your house.
It took me a while to accept that I won a book deal. It took so long for my contract to be sorted*. I often thought I would wake up to an email saying, “Nice try buddy. You really thought you would be an author, didn’t you? Keep dreaming.” Made it hard to enjoy milestones and events like signing with an agent or completing my first draft.
*This is no shade to PRH. If anyone who works there sees this, no you didn’t
As I Grow Older, I’ve come to realise that waiting for the building to crumble and fall will stop you from appreciating its architecture.
There’s nothing more draining than a life lived in a constant state of anxiety. High alert. Fear. A life spent worrying about if it all fails and not spent enjoying the fruits of one’s labour.
Love, Peace & Blessings,
Abs.
P.S. So what did we all think about the Dave album?