It’s not every day that an artist releases a song that truly bears one’s heart out. At times, it can be difficult to relive memories or recognize how the world is changing to convey them in a new form. Dou. is a special talent whose artistry embodies truthful passion. Hailing from Harlem, NY, the rapper, artist, and poet, Dou. has been delivering timeless works for a while with ‘heaven’s home // SLUMS‘ being the latest addition to his inspired tapestry.
The magic of this track can be found not only in the vivid architecture of his lyrics but also in the magnificent instrumentation that Dou. also brings to the table. This song can mean a lot of things to a variety of people. For me, the feelings of interconnectedness and kinship resonate the highest, with the visuals expanding on these themes. Even the opening lyrics of the first section, “Mama used to add a spice of vanilla/ Suga 4 for the war outside/ 23rd settle 4 sprite than a spirit,” take you into Dou.’s experience and make his every emotion tangible. While the hook expresses those aforementioned themes of relationship:
“N our blood the same we still kinfolk, kinfolk”
On the back half of the track, it’s the same emotion with a more actionable spirit. Grappling with the changes in his neighborhood, Dou. is a light in the fog, a motive to advance change for the greater good. Even the pacing of the video matches this change in approach. Whereas the front end had more graceful tones, SLUMS reverses this passive attitude and genuinely expresses his attitude towards the seemingly sporadic metamorphosis of his home.
“Condos having growth spurts, they aint even from here/ Devil on 8th ave, u feel like he was from here”
A world shattered by self-proclaimed saviors, Dou. recognizes that this change for the better must come from within his community and to achieve this, it’s clear Dou. will stop at nothing. Watch the video for heaven’s home // SLUMS below, and find the track on streaming here.
