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Young, Black & Blue

by Idris Lawal

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1.
Drop 02:35
VERSE 1 Drop, that tingle in your feet the feeling of the beat, watch your knees fall in defeat and buckle, before the vocals creep through the rubble subtle, like the pop of a bubble trouble, i start the verse, ya feel it one time Make you dance your way onto the front line Warning i ain’t here to take no names The spoils of victory, I take claim Feedback & fame won’t feed the fam Smooth criminals, creep through villages gone in the morning, sheets we pillaged them Young & corrupted, girls we caught up in bang on 'em eardrums ….. We just trynna have some fun wit it Neighbours wanna call the cops again ‘Cause my colour makes me complicit Don’t make sense, it don’t make commas men Drop me a line, they won come sentence me HOOK My skin is like bronze My heart’s like a diamond My tongue is like gold My word is my bond If i think it, i’m gon’ drop If I speak it, time gon’ stop If I sing it, & you bop If I flip it, won’t you’ cop VERSE 2 They wan’ box me in, they can’t box with god I know the ropes like a boxing ring Can’t box me out, Can’t shake my dreams Nigerian boy, i’m olajuwon & I travelled 10,000 hours now I’m a veteran Found me a girl, & found me some brethrens Life is a lesson I cut my check & check off my checklists I give you my word I don’t want no sentence It don’t make sense, it don’t make commas men That my colour make me complicit Drop me a charge, they won come empty me Draining my blues to fill they cups with it HOOK My skin is like bronze My heart’s like a diamond My tongue is like gold My word is my bond If i think it, i’m gon’ drop If I speak it, time gon’ stop If I sing it, & you bop If I flip it, won’t you’ cop
2.
Gung Ho 02:40
I wanna be gung-ho Wide eyes, big ears like dumbo Fly me as high as the sun go (x2) Mama I cross the street on my own Left, Right, Left, your seed is grown Promise I'll never forget my roots You taught me black thought I forever use But last year left me so humbled New city felt like a jungle Somewhere I took the wrong turn though Now I'm all blue like a stormcloak So I grind & I packed all my stress into one roll Blow 'em away then I encore Cheers & applauds from the front-row Hmmm I wanna be gung-ho Wide eyes, big ears like dumbo Fly me as high as the sun go (x2) My pops gave me code, when I sit he spoke Don't chase the glitter unless it's gold Do chase the liquor & not these hoes Hmm Never let 'em dictate Always learn from mistakes Never let your dick think Always use the big brain Accept your own, Do what you love, collect your toll Love who you do, protect your home Watch the skies, forget the throne Cause the king 'gon die, soldiers too Countrymen, get older too Its you yourself you owe it too
3.
Medals 04:45
VERSE 1 Don’t ask me to run it back to you Don’t ask me to jump, I’ll crack the hoop Don’t mind me, I’m young & black & blue Don’t like me, I’m outta love for you PRE-CHORUS I've been stuck in place, been stuck out of place at the same time I've been knocking, nothing, running outta patience, now I'll take mine CHORUS I'm just trynna get to where I wanna get to I been trynna step through, now I'm trynna get through I been called a pot I been called an empty Kettle Now I'm on my mettle Now I want my medals I done ran fast, now I done gone long I done jumped high, now I want my and 1 I been called a pot I been called an empty Kettle Now I'm on my mettle Now I want my medals VERSE 2 They come for me when I'm comfortable (I was just chilling) They come for me with the constable (Stand your ground? Are you kidding) Now I’m, just another black boy on the color tube (we’re just hashtags & headlines) Where’s color in the constitution PRE-CHORUS I've been stuck in place, been stuck out of place at the same time I've been knocking, nothing, running outta patience, now I'll take mine CHORUS I'm just trynna get to where I wanna get to I been trynna step through, now I'm trynna get through I been called a pot I been called an empty Kettle Now I'm on my mettle Now I want my medals I done ran fast, now I done gone long I done jumped high, now I want my and 1 I been called a pot I been called an empty Kettle Now I'm on my mettle Now I want my medals
4.
VERSE 1 Hey colonizer, I'm no Django for hire I just sing my desires Do my dance till I tire CHORUS I do my Shoki Kpanlogo Shakiti bobo I do my Zanku Skelewu Shaku shaku Azonto Do my dance till I tire VERSE 2 I no come kill myself (Mi o le ku) They say time heals all, yet I been stuck in place, Been stuck out of place In my shoes, you no fit take one step CHORUS But me, I do my Shoki Kpanlogo Shakiti bobo I do my Zanku Skelewu Shaku shaku Azonto Do my dance till I tire VERSE 3 No be by force, no be gra gra What no concern me, no matter If it come near my family, na drama Hmmm Extra extra, mo ma jara CHORUS But for now, I do my Shoki Kpanlogo Shakiti bobo I do my Zanku Skelewu Shaku shaku Azonto Do my dance till I tire
5.
Fools 03:30
VERSE 1 Fooled me once, I fooled you twice, we fooled us nice We wanna earn our worth, we won’t reduce the price Shebi we’re fools whether we dance, tabi we don’t Baby mi jowo o, jeka jo maa gbadun PRE-CHORUS You be my maga-maga I’ll be your mugu-mugu Ololufe mi, Hold on forever You be my maga-maga I’ll be your mugu-mugu Hold on forever Hold on… CHORUS Blame me, blame me if you’re late You took it, you took it to the heart I said (x2) VERSE 2 Mama mi kilo fun mi Baba mi soro fun mi See my mama always told me I should stop to think my words through And my dada always told me talk with crowds but keep your virtue PRE-CHORUS You be my maga-maga I’ll be your mugu-mugu Ololufe mi, Hold on forever You be my maga-maga I’ll be your mugu-mugu Hold on forever Hold on… CHORUS Blame me, blame me if you’re late You took it, you took it to the heart I said (x2) BRIDGE And I never listen, teenage revolution I revert to We’re adolesenseless, scared in love but never go to church I remember when I met you, I would court you past your curfew I said blame me, how could I know you would take that to the heart CHORUS Blame me, blame me if you’re late You took it, you took it to the heart I said (x2)
6.
Omoge 02:45
VERSE 1 She walked by one morning Stole my gaze without no warnings So graceful - she’s been here before I let her in like a trojan & all in a moment, I forgot everything I’ve been longing Found everything I belong in CHORUS Look right, look left Omoge Think twice Before you cross my mind You’ll run through it, can’t run from it I’m on to you and might commit … crime. I’ll steal your heart and make you mine VERSE 2 Don’t trip, girl I know that love is blind Don’t slip, omoge, leave me clues cause I will find Nice to meet you I am charmed Look I don’t mean you no harm Just blink once, blink twice At midnight, I’ll be your light BRIDGE At midnight, I’ll be your light Just look right, look left Blink once, blink twice On this thriller night, girl I’ll be your light CHORUS (x2) Look right, look left Omoge Think twice Before you cross my mind You’ll run through it, can’t run from it I’m on to you and might commit … crime. I’ll steal your heart and make you mine
7.
Heal 04:38
CHORUS I dream of sunshine I dream of sunsets When I ain't know how to feel I look up and I heal I dream of cool waves I let my blues take When I ain't know how to feel I dig deep and I heal Ohhh… VERSE 1 I dream of burgundy roses Crystal chalices on mahogany coasters I'm channeling Moses Echoes of cheers, congrats, mabrook, mazel tov Head in the clouds pray that gravity hold us The road is tough but the ends drove us More freedom is what we toast to & success to the lovers, honour to the brave Health to the sick Pray, no stones or sticks ma lawd See my home ain't brick, it’s glass walls Pray no motes or beams hmmm Unless they beam me up, Purple tucked, Eyes to the sky as I pucker up (X2) When I ain't know how to feel I look up and I heal CHORUS I dream of sunshine I dream of sunsets When I ain't know how to feel I look up and I heal I dream of cool waves I let my blues take When I ain't know how to feel I dig deep and I heal VERSE 2 I pray for green margins, we On the pursuit of happiness like the gardeners We pray Allah pardon us Life’s hard enough without being young, black & born a target - A, fish in a sea with… white sharks & blue whales Bite me, I’ll bite back & when I get trouble sleep I yanga , but I no dey count sheep I’m a lion, them no concern You see my eyes on the horizon Black clouds over my rooftop Me & baby in a 2-door Brain heavy like mojo-jojo Make me wanna blow my roof off Power-puff & blow my sorrows in the air & then I cool off When I ain't know how to feel I dig deep & I heal CHORUS I dream of sunshine I dream of sunsets When I ain't know how to feel I look up and I heal I dream of cool waves I let my blues take When I ain't know how to feel I dig deep and I heal
8.
VERSE 1 Fooled me once, I fooled you twice, we fooled us nice We wanna earn our worth, we won’t reduce the price Shebi we’re fools whether we dance, tabi we don’t Baby mi jowo o, jeka jo maa gbadun PRE-CHORUS You be my maga-maga I’ll be your mugu-mugu Ololufe mi, Hold on forever You be my maga-maga I’ll be your mugu-mugu Hold on forever Hold on… CHORUS Blame me, blame me if you’re late You took it, you took it to the heart I said (x2) VERSE 2 Mama mi kilo fun mi Baba mi soro fun mi See my mama always told me I should stop to think my words through And my dada always told me talk with crowds but keep your virtue PRE-CHORUS You be my maga-maga I’ll be your mugu-mugu Ololufe mi, Hold on forever You be my maga-maga I’ll be your mugu-mugu Hold on forever Hold on… CHORUS Blame me, blame me if you’re late You took it, you took it to the heart I said (x2) Baby mi jowo o, jeka jo maa gbadun...
9.

about

Young, Black & Blue is my life experience. In a world that feels like it has been very slow to understand what it is to be black - from the different shades of our beauty to the intricacies of our diverse cultures - I’ve been slowly finding my own balance between my roots, self & identity.

Having lived in 4 countries across 3 different continents, I’ve been blessed to be exposed to so many different cultures. The values I’ve picked up as a result, as well as the constant reminder from family, friends & loved ones to never forget my roots is the reason I am the man I am today. At only 27 years old, I am young, unapologetically black & sometimes blue – but healing.

On May 1st, Bandcamp will be waiving its cut of sales for the entire day - an initiative aimed at assisting artists during this trying times. As an independent artist I understand the value of creating quality music and the need to not compromise on said value and so I will be releasing my debut EP exclusively on Bandcamp and only for 24 hours on May 1st.

credits

released June 26, 2020

DROP
Idris Lawal: Vocals / Lyrics / Producer
Sydnee Croft: Backup Vocals
Jelani Watson: Saxophone
Kyu: Additional Bass / Mix / Master

GUNG HO
Idris Lawal: Vocals / Lyrics / Producer
Sydnee Croft: Backup Vocals
Jelani Watson: Saxophone
Nate Smith: Additional Bass / Mix / Master

MEDALS
Idris Lawal: Vocals / Lyrics / Producer
Sydnee Croft: Backup Vocals
Jelani Watson: Saxophone
Lã: Guitar
Dean Eskich: Bass
Kyu: Additional Keys / Mix / Master

HEY COLONIZER
Idris Lawal: Vocals / Lyrics / Producer
Jelani Watson: Saxophone
Kyu: Mix / Master

FOOLS
Idris Lawal: Vocals / Lyrics
Kyu: Producer / Mix / Master

OMOGE
Idris Lawal: Vocals / Lyrics / Producer
Sydnee Croft: Backup Vocals
Jelani Watson: Saxophone
Dean Eskich: Bass
Nate Smith: Mix / Master

HEAL
Idris Lawal: Vocals / Lyrics / Percussion
Sydnee Croft: Backup Vocals
Jelani Watson: Saxophone
Antion: Production
Kyu: Mix / Master

FOOLS (RAZAQ EL TORO REMIX) - BONUS TRACK
Idris Lawal: Vocals / Lyrics
Razaq El Toro: Production / Mix / Master

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about

Idris Lawal Toronto, Ontario

Idris Lawal is Nigerian born, Toronto based song-writer and producer. Growing up in Nigeria, Qatar, South-Africa and Canada; his early exposure to different cultures would become the foundation of his genre-bending sound. Today, he draws from a variety of musical influences including rap, afrobeat, highlife, afro-pop, soul music and blends into what he calls “afrobop”. ... more

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