#Marconi union | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

cato-of-blamesociety · 7 months

Text

32 Weeks Tracklist/Song Picks pt. 2 (weeks 9-16)

How/Why did I choose/chose to use the songs I did

*Full breakdown, updated in real time(weekly)*

9. Hurt Feelings x Mac Miller

I have to be completely honest. I never was a fan/gave Mac a chance until after he passed. I had begun listening to Anderson.Paak. Going through his discography was so fun. I get to Oxnard and "Cheers" gives me chills. Q-tip is on here repping for Phife- Dawg and then Paak is pouring out his soul saying he misses his friend (Mac). From that point I made it a mission to check Miller out. I wasn't impressed at first. As a rapper (who started in middle school) I was shocked that this kid made it anywhere. I keep listening. I start to understand his concept, his target audience, and realize that he is developing into something major. Macadelic was interesting to me, as well as Watching Movies.... This time period in hip hop was weird to me at the time, but going back it all makes sense. I cringed my way through Faces...I hated it first because..spoiler we know how Mac goes out and he is taunting us through out this whole album(today, I understand/appreciate his work on that project and it is a big inspiration for me with 32 Weeks). Go:od Am was a fav, as he seems more healthy and is trying to get better. I fucked with that album heavy. Divine Femine was an instant classic. I shared with my wife and we enjoy it together. Now, I must add, during this dive into Mac's cuts, I also stumbled across Dissect Podcast. The guys on there broke down everything and made me truly feel closer to Mac's Swimming in Circles. I cried so much in the fall of 2021. I had been through hell, and his lyrics just made it all make sense. Fast forward to 2023. I knew I wanted to incorporate Mac's tracks in my project but didn't know where to start. I did know I did not want to fool with Self-Care. I landed on Hurt Feelings. This beat had me unleash my pent up frustrations in dealing with members of my group that weren't moving with the same pace as me. I get it, you aren't ready, but at the same time, don't bring yourself down. I truly wanted, especially one in particular, to just be ok with himself. I wanted him to know that yes, Cato is grinding, but it is for all of us. In the meantime, support me by answering the phone, sharing ideas, and take care of yourself. Unfortunately, a few days before this track was posted, another group member(my best friend) was in a fatal car accident. So now even though the song is suppose to be a pep talk, lowkey it now feels like a send off. I also recorded a 32weeks track to Mac's Wings...more on that when the time gets closer. Anyway, if you read all of this, I appreciate you. I hope you are enjoying 32 weeks, because like most hero journeys, it is only going to get more darker before the sun come out. "Took a snapshot of hope, put it in a frame. Reminding us that sunshine always follow rain. It is what it is, found purpose through my pain...ooooo, yeah, yeah." *also, try to pick out as many Mac lyric references as possible!!

youtube

10. Ms. Mural x Lupe Fiasco

This verse started out as an oldie. I had never finished it. I had initially wrote it to a JID type beat on Youtube. When I was going through rhymes and searching more beats, I knew I wanted to incorporate Lupe Fiasco's Drill Music In Zion. There are so many sweet beats to choose from...however, 1. at the time it was hard to find other instrumentals from the album, and 2. Ms Mural had the right tempo, haunting-ness, and cadence for a verse about grief to be delivered. The album itself is of course fire. Lupe does a lot of stuff that I don't want to ruin here, but makes it worth a listen. Ms Mural is like the 3rd installment of the "mural" collection which makes it even more cooler. One thing I will spoil about the album is the fact that Lupe allows the beats to breathe. He knows when to not speak, when to just let the music speak to us. To me, its like he took his time, and was like "here you go little brother, vibe to this beat for a minute before it goes off". This felt like love and very much appreciated it. Not gone lie, the times he allows the beat to ride, had me in tears. Sh*t is beautiful lowkey. *Sidenote, this will drop 9/14, and we bury my friend on 9/18. Pain of loss is tricky. To those dealing with death right now, I hope you are taking care of yourself. If no one told you that they love you today, just know that I do!! #32weeks

youtube

11. Massa x Tyler, the Creator

Ok, I used to be ashamed to say this but now Tyler actually confirms/validates me. I never was a fan of Tyler, or the Odd-future crew. I remember Yonkers dropping, and I heard the beat first. Definitely sick(in a good way lol). Then a co-worker showed me the video…my first reaction, ewwww! I knew that bug had to be fake…I was wrong. I just knew he was doing this all for clout/going viral. That part may be slightly true, however in “Massa” (and in several interviews) Tyler just flat says that he was going through his own development and really didn’t know how to express it. I mentioned before, that I am a huge fan of “Dissect Podcast”. Cole and the other talking head helped me understand Tyler’s direction/trajectory since stepping on the scene. They breakdown Flowerboy, and Igor and really help listeners grasp the major art this man is giving us. Call Me If You Get Lost was an instant hit/classic to me following the previous albums. He has DJ Drama on here doing his thing, Tyler is more on par with living his life and bettering himself, and is spitting some dope lines/bars. I knew that when I began 32 Weeks I needed a Tyler track. Several tracks on the album stuck out but there was something about the intro, and the way the beat comes in, with Massa that had me keep it on repeat. The opening lines I came up with were supposed to be super gritty and cheeky at the same time. On the project, death, and the fact that we can’t out run it, is heavily on this project and well…what happens after we die? The natural move was to begin talking about spirituality and how I or we, or people in general perceive God and religion. At this time, my son was truly asking about God and who that person is. He had been talking with a classmate and his friend actually shared his thoughts with my son. I chose to not mock or shut it down. I chose to expand on that knowledge. We had some great talks about it. I usually spoke freely about God in my music but at this point, not this extent, where I am on the skeptical/unsubscribed side of things. I started my own spiritual journey back in 2012, finally expressing to my mom in 2016 that I no longer follow Christ. Naturally she thought she made a mistake with me but that’s not true. Anyway, due to the people I know hearing this, and maybe thinking they knew me and now they may feel some type of way, has caused me to feel higher levels of anxiety. Since it dropped today (9/21/23) I already feel slightly better. I respect everyone’s beliefs, faith, and religion. But If you ask me why I feel like I do, I will tell you. Anyway, if you are reading this, thank you for spending your time with me. I love you and appreciate you.

youtube

12. The Halo x Marconi Union

I have this weird thing were I can be inspired to write from any type of music. I actually fell in love with Marconi Union during my Graduate School years. I had been procrastinating on a 30 page paper that was due the next day or so. I was freaking out, high anxiety and the works. I remembered that someone had mentioned this track called Weightless. Weightless is/was known for relieving stress because its totally lofi, but also moves at 60 bpm which instinctively helps us slow down and relax. Weightless was so successful that fans were requesting a longer version. The band made an 8 minute version and a 30 minute version. On youtube you can find a 10 hour version(linked above)! Since then, I have fallen in love with their catalog. On a specific day during the 32 weeks writing phase, I had a rough morning with my oldest son. I can’t remember exactly what the issue was but the feeling left me empty, like doubting my abilities as a father. On the route to drop him and his brother off at school, I put on “Signals” the 2021 album released by Marconi Union. I was like ‘yeah that’s how it feels right now.” The Halo starts to play and I began humming along. Words began coming…”Even if I fly…I still fall..” “I knew that if I came with all the proof…” It was on this day I realized that I had the power to take an emotion and turn it into sound that can resonate with humans and connect us. I hope that the track makes up feel seen and understood. I hope that you realize you are stronger than you know/feel, and that even though we fall, we can always get back up. My favorite line: “Doubting all my might is like the crushing blow, won’t get back up this time..”. – This is a reminder that doubt kills dreams, don’t let it kill yours!

youtube

13. Leslie Odom Jr x Wait For It (Hamilton Musical)

I know that people everywhere already remixed/redid/parodied/etc the Hamilton Musical. This is one is technically an older instrumental for me to use as well. However, when I was in the writing process for 32weeks, I was struggling to find the next instrumental, but I remembered this album and started listening more. Because I was late to the musical (I caught it on Disney plus when it was released on the platform in 2020) it still feels new to me. All I can say is Lin is a genius. In all the [cinematic] works that he has contributed to musically, you can hear his rhymes penetrate the material making it elevate to greatness. Hamilton has so many noteworthy tracks I wanted to use such as “Nonstop”, “Guns and Ships” or a huge favorite “The Reynold’s Pamphlet” but there is something about the tenderness, yet strength that operates on “Wait For It" that always moves me to tears…not really sadness, more like peace that somethings we just have to wait for. Leslie delivers an amazing performance that truly takes Lin’s words, and turns them into a mood worth revisiting. In this track, I breakdown the timeline of the inception of B.L.A.M.E. , the decline, and now resurgence of the idea. It is a reminder that this music is therapeutic, personal, and keeps me feeling gratitude that I can create.

youtube

14. SZA x Kill Bill

Let's just clear the air right now....yeah everything I write is true, and to the best of my memories ability...especially when dealing with events that happened so long ago. This one was hard to write but before we dive into that, I want to acknowledge Sza. SOS has been viewed as a long awaited project and she totally delivers. The album is filled with awesome musicality's. Specifically, Kill Bill for whatever reason just laid on my heart. When writing 32weeks, this instrumental stuck out the most to me. I vibed with it. Those opening lines came to me easily, because I wanted to make it clear that I am happy with my life right now, and do not intend to try to revive old love lost. I believe if you pay attention, you can hear my honesty piercing through. I didn't want to hold back. A lot of the events or relations I discuss, could each have their own song. The longest one I talk about is the betrayal of a female friend who lied to her family that I slept with her, got her pregnant, and God knows what else, all to protect the parents' friend she was actually laying with. It hurt because I had no idea and people, such as a love interest, were mad at me for this and I was confused. I had been meaning for a long time to write about it, but the words never came out right. This time around I vomited it all out. Hell, I still have the Facebook messages of this person denying the info her brother gave me. In the end, the idea is to forgive, let live, and move forward. By writing all this out, and expressing hope that her and all the others find peace and happiness, has made me feel at peace myself. I can finally put that mess to rest. I am grateful for the woman I have in my life. If you are reading this just know that you are worthy of love, peace, and respect. Those young adult years get messy. My hope for you is that you navigate it all with courage and integrity. I hope you enjoy the visuals, and the music. If no one has told you today that they love you, I do!

youtube

15. Vince Staples x Take Me Home

Look, ever since I got hipped to Mac, I got pulled into Vince Staples. The Stolen Youth tape introduced me to vince and of course his feature on FACES x Rain made me go back and chech his whole discography. When I caught up on Staples' work, I believe he was just then released/releasing his self-titled record,"Vince Staples" album. I played it just about everyday. I love his authencity as a person who really doesn't love being a "rapper" but rather sees it as a way to connect to creating a better life for him. He is pretty candid about it and I respect it because even though thats true, he still puts effort and honesty in his music. When I was writing 32Weeks I knew I would incorporate Vince in the mix. This album had many tracks I wanted to utilize but Take Me Home(start at 8.14 mark), just takes the cake. The instrumental always give me chills, and the opening line...I knew from the jump I was gonna flip it for myself. "I don't wanna die, but I will for the cause...". I switched it to "I don't wanna kill but I will for my loves". I set my intro as my family means alot to me, and I do what I have to to protect them. After that the verse started coming out of me as a moment to reflect on my childhood. This mostly encumbers issues of race, bullying, loss, fitting in, and just how it all progressed from elementary to high school. As far as track number, it sits right before the halfway mark, adding to the 2nd phase of #32weeks doubt, self pity, and really just the dark themes expressed and explored in phase 2. I visit another Vince track later in the tape and I can't wait to share it with you. The visuals in this release use imagery from John Wick, Us, Get Out, interviews with Wayne Brady/Michael Blackson, Big Mouth, and Coach Carter. If you are reading this, I appreciate your time and hope you are doing ok. I love you, and I hope you tell someone you love today, that you love too! We never know what people are going through, but when we have the love of others surrounding us, we feel like we can handle anything!

youtube

16. J. Cole ft. 21 Savage, Morray x My Life

So....I don't know if J. Cole is my favorite rapper, however I do find myself revisiting his albums often. 2014 Forest Hills Drive was a turning point I really fell in love with this man's craft. I appreciated his shift in conscious, attempting to distribute a more positive and uplifting message in his music. Kendrick is one I feel has mostly focused on giving us the type of love in his music, specifically in his albums. Kendrick though, can kind of come off too complex/deep to point one may miss the message. Cole's approach is so laymen in approach that you can't miss the message but at the same time you still contemplate what he is getting at. 2021 was a rough year for me. Especially going into the fall school year, The Off Season presented so many affirmations and motivations for me to push harder to make it through. Tracks like Amari, hell the opening track ft. Cam'ron! Cam is an emcee I grew up listening to, had mad respect for, but haven't checked for in a while. Hearing his voice amp up Cole gave me chills. When I was writing 32weeks, I knew I would use a Cole beat...but which one?? I wanted it to me more recent, but like all tracks I use, I wanted it to be meaningful to me. On 'My Life', the opening lines of the sample, Cole talking about how we can't rush God, the way he opens his verse, and 21 Savage's flow all contribute to me falling hard for this track. So around my 14th/15th verse(I didn't necessarily write these in tracklist order that you come to know) I was really nervous and losing hope. Guys, I truly didn't think I could write 32 verses...especially in the time frame I set for myself. But then, I don't know what happened. I played this instrumental and I instantly heard in my head "Spiraling up, just like my ancestors DNA. Hashtag 32 weeks, my nigga we halfway!" Then the idea of using the length of the beat (just over 2 minutes) as a vessel taking me back in time to warn my younger self seemed like the right move. I mostly focus on the mistakes of not going all in with music, not seeing how much Erin truly was the one the whole time, and not standing on my own like I should have back then. I end the track with singing to my younger self that although things seem dark right now, listening to me now, things will workout. Unfortunately, I didn't heed those warnings. Sometimes we have to be hard headed and go through trials and tribulations in order to develop into the person we needed/were always meant to be. With all that said, I hope you feel this one. The relief I feel right now is the same sentiment it was when writing that 16th verse. Now, it has been the 16th video, and I feel like I can truly complete what I started. Besides, whether people see this or hear this, the goal is for me to do this for me....and I am!

youtube

#tyler the creator #mac miller #lupe fiasco #marconi union #Youtube #hamilton musical #lin manuel miranda #leslie odom jr #sza #kill bill #Home #Vince Staples #Norf norf #jcole #mylife #21 savage

3 notes · View notes