Baltimore hip-hop duo Rally 4 Reality, composed of S.I.N. (Surviving in Negativity) and Tru Thoughts, hit my line with “Riley.”The song is one that speaks on toxic masculinity and stereotypes held against Black men through the lens of Riley Freeman. The song is insanely good, from where I’m standing. As a fan of concept songs/albums, I’m here for this duo envisioning how Riley Freeman may envision the world in the 2020s.

A character steeped in toxic masculinity, “gangsta stereotypes” and–quite honestly–homophobia, Riley is also a complex character. He’s a kid that’s been raised by BET and MTV from, let’s just say the late ’90s to early 2000s. He thinks being a gangsta is cool, that it’s something he should aspire for. He also fears losing his “edge” because of his current living situation. He gravitates towards posers because they act like how he thinks “a real nigga” should act. And yes, I remember that Ed Wuncler III and Gin Rummy were the wiggas to end all wiggas.

That leans into my point that Riley, like some of our youth today, aspires to be hard, to be “a real nigga” It’s partly because that may be what they see in the media or even around them. It’s also partly because some Black boys/men can’t stand to lose their “edge,” as they conflate being hard and tough with being Black. An “attack” on their gangsta (such as moving to the suburbs) is an attack on their person, their Blackness.

Back to the song, the vibe of it is like a mix of early-2000s gangsta rap mixed with conscious rap of the 2020s. It’s an interesting blend of sounds, one that helps hammer the point Rally 4 Reality are trying to make. First, the duo’s from Baltimore. Like myself, they’ve probably seen enough wild things to know that this gangsta s*** ain’t just for being “cool.” Second, by faking the funk, you’re playing right into the hands of prejudiced people and/or racists. Third, there are folks out here who really are about that life. That said, they’re not any less human than, say, a Black doctor who has an amazing house, two kids and a beautiful wife. So, respect the gangsta and the white-collar Black people. Blackness comes in many, many forms.

I’ve taken the liberty of attaching “Riley”‘s parent project, The Woodcrest EP, as it also features conceptualized songs about Huey and Grandad. Check it all out and support dope music in all its forms.