Ron Obasi Gets Philosophical in Freethinkers

The weekend before Thanksgiving, Ron Obasi brought some serious heat to a chilly outdoor show at The Dive Motel, a celebration of hip-hop and R&B collective ThirdEye & Co. In our review of the show, longtime Scene contributor Seth Graves pointed out Obasi’s powerful socially conscious flow and inclination toward jazz among the strong suits that helped him win over a live audience. They also serve Obasi well on Freethinkers, a grooving and philosophically complex two-song EP he dropped Wednesday.

On lead track “Activist,” he considers the human failings that can threaten to derail movements calling for a better world for communities of color, and how the movements remain vitally important regardless. Follow-up “Godlaw” looks at how society tends to write off individuals who’ve committed crimes, and yet these same folks have taught him crucial life lessons.

“It was a gangster who told me to stay in school,” Obasi raps over a driving beat by Kindablue that’s splashed with melancholy piano. “It was a killer who told me to love myself and follow my rules / The candy lady said I could be anything that I put my mind to / If God is law, law is God / Why the ones who break the law cool / And always told me truth?”

Take a listen below. In posts about the record, Obasi notes that this is just the first of a bunch of planned releases. Keep an eye on his Instagram, Twitter and Facebook profiles for updates.