Today's Song of the Day, as chosen by Gabriel Teodros, host of Early on KEXP, is "COMPLEX OF KILLING A MAN (feat. Baby Rose)" by BLK ODYSSY, from the 2022 album BLK VINTAGE: THE REPRISE on BLK ODYSSY / EMPIRE.
BLK ODYSSY aka Juwan Elcock is a dynamic artist who nixed his former Americana sound for a soul-infused hip hop solo project. The Austin-based musician dropped his debut album BLK VINTAGE under the moniker in August of 2021 and, after the record slowly caught fire for its rich jazzy soundscapes and deeply personal and political lyrics about the plight of Black Americanhood, is now following it up with the deluxe edition BLK VINTAGE REPRISE.
One of the new tracks to be included is “COMPLEX OF KILLING A MAN.” With Grammy-nominated R&B singer Baby Rose adding her lush vocals, the song is a downtempo slow burner with heated lyrics about being caught in a culture of violence and oppression with seemingly no way out. “What's the complex of killing a man?/ Can't help but think that this scenario's part of a plan/ That's word to Willie Lynch and Uncle Sam.”
The story is one that hits close to home for Elcock, as his brother was killed at the hands of police offivers when living in New Jersey. With that in mind, the chorus of “Ghetto child, ghetto child/ Running wild, running wild/ This Glock gon' change your ways/ So count your days” hits especially hard.
The song comes alongside a visually arresting video directed by Elcock and Joey Hunt that continues the arc of another recently-released single on BLK VINTAGE REPRISE, “Benny’s Got a Gun.” Watch it below.
