“Like ‘Remind My Soul of The Time We Were Great Before The Self Hate’”

Late last night a colleague walked into my home office with a bounce and pep to his step that I had never seen before. He proceeded to say that he had just heard a song that revived his love affair with Hip-Hop, and then hijacked my computer(as though I was not using it), going straight to YouTube and typing in the following words:

“Akrobatik Remind My Soul”

Do you remember the year 2003? When 50 really blew up, and everybody was getting sneaker deals? When the world got angry at Eminem for getting angry at a girl who happened to be Black? When Outkast dropped Speakerboxxx/The Love Below and Jay-z retired for the first time? When Crunk reigned? That’s when Akrobatik dropped Balance.

The CD was handed to me by this lady who would occasionally pass me advance copies of anything she picked up on her tour of NY studios. It was a black burned disc sandwiched between an original copy of The Black Album and what I later found out was a Kanye West CD(that had “Kayne” written on it). I immediately rocked to Jay and Yay, but it took me moving into my new place a few months later, and running out of CD’s to listen, to revisit Ak.

“Remind My Soul” stayed on repeat for so long it was maddening. The lyricism was epic. The concept, content and delivery were all seamless. The melody was nostalgic and haunting; the soundtrack to a revolution. Really, a song for wayward Hip-Hop souls in tumultuous, troubled seas. Simple and to the point. It served as a stark reminder to urban youth that greater things preceded us, and greater things should follow. It was also a mild realization that although many were/are concerned with our current state and place in Hip-Hop, society, the world, as a youth, a culture, a nation, the concern is not necessarily paralyzing. All you need is a slight refreshing memory of “the time we were great” to say “Wait, we’re still great.”

As the song played on YouTube, I silently reminisced while watching homie rap every word. Three-quarter way through, he stopped and asked me:

“So when does dude’s album drop?”

I gave him the *Akon @ 1:08* and muttered “2003, b.”

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Akrobatik – “Remind My Soul”