Since 1987, Black Thought has been one of the most respected rappers in the game due to his prolific run in the legendary Roots crew. This July, he released his politically charged single “Thought Vs Everybody” on top of announcing his highly anticipated “Streams of Thought vol 3” project. Collaborating with GOOD Music president Pusha T and Run The Jewels member Killer Mike, they have given us a new song titled “Good Morning”. With Swizz Beatz behind the boards, can this trio create a classic posse cut?
With some tribal drums building up in the background, Swizz excerpts the phrase “Good Morning” over and over again. As the record builds up, some horns and vocal samples come in to add chaos. After a tense opening, the beat drops with some hard-hitting drums. As the storm settles down, Thought comes in firing. Filled with pain and aggression, the 48-year-old MC goes on a rant where he covers an array of topics ranging from substance abuse to racial injustice. Following this, a short bridge from Swizz Beatz leads into Pusha’s verse. With his usual subject matter, the Virginia MC keeps things interesting with his cocky flow and intense lyricism, which is highlighted by the line “I only do features to keep hitting my mark”. In its last-minute, Killer Mike’s verse only adds to the records ferocity. Looking back to the ancient Egyptians’ time and comparing it to present-day, hip hops biggest activist challenges the listener to think about what we are living through. Ending the record on an introspective tangent, Mike acknowledges his past while accepting his future.
Overall, “Good Morning” embodies the definition of what a collaboration between three lyrical titans should sound like. Over an instrumental equating to sonic warfare, Thought, Push, and Mike’s potent and relevant verses are extremely powerful in todays day and age. As we advance, Black Thought is now 2/2 on singles, which only elevates my expectations for “Streams of Thought vol 3” even more!
Rating: 9.6/10
