I’ll be honest. When I first heard Nobi’s “LXST,” I didn’t know what to make of it. The first half of the song goes on some Chance vibes, down to the pseudo-scat singing Chance employs at times. It wasn’t a bad first half, just a bit different from what I’d typically post about on SOTB.

Where the song grabbed me, however, was its second half.

The song goes from a soulful look at the Black experience to a frantic plea for help from a Black man. Discussing Black Lives Matter, George Floyd and other societal issues, Nobi doesn’t let up in his efforts to show Black people as more than statistics. It’s a damning look at how non-Black people may look at Black folks, imploring them to look in the mirror and change their wicked ways. It isn’t just the plea for acceptance that grabs me. No, Nobi also defiantly says to racists and naysayers “fuck your opinions. We’re here and you will respect our right to exist.” It’s equal parts anti-racism protest song and beautiful pro-Blackness wrapped around a song that is a story in two parts.

The video (above) is just as attack-ready against anti-Blackness. It confronts you with a lot of vivid imagery and refuses to let you look away. I love this one, hence me writing about it. Check out the visuals above and support dope music in all its forms.