We should talk our ish and be proud of our accomplishments. However, we should also remember to practice gratitude and give thanks to God (should you be someone who believes in the Glory of God). For without God allowing us to have the ability to talk ourselves up when necessary and accomplish what we need to when we truly need to, we wouldn’t be here. Before I go off on a “preacher” spiel, Sly Rankin’s “Book of Rankin” does exactly this while also taking time to enjoy the little things.

Honestly, it’s the little things that make life worth living (even more than it already is). For example, I woke up this morning and my cat, Swiper, was staring back up at me from the floor. It was adorable and a cute way to wake up.

Back to “BoR,” Rankin’s lyrics speak more on those little things that help keep us calm and sane–while also giving thanks to God for helping him achieve what he’s done thus far, regardless of how big or small each individual win is. A sum of Sly’s most-gracious parts, “Book of Rankin” also features a beat that reminds me a bit of mid-to-late 2000s hip-hop, back when many producers discovered army drum rolls and multilayered original melodies. That energy and sound is what helps the lyrics hit that much harder. I can’t think of a better birthday present to oneself than remembering “hey, I’m blessed and very fortunate, even if everything isn’t 100% where I would ‘like’ it to be.”

Check out “Book of Rankin” above and remember to support dope music in all its forms.