One of the adjectives that comes up frequently in discussions of Nashville rapper Ron Obasi’s work is “thoughtful.” His flow is measured and steady. Clever lines aren’t what he’s focused on, but when he delivers one, you pretty much always marvel at how he set you up for it without you ever seeing it coming. And he’s always got a carefully considered perspective to share, typically tied to growing up in Nashville and watching the city evolve.
That’s certainly true of “101ThaBeat,” a track from Obasi’s recent EP Notes on a Scale III whose name nods to Music City’s long-running commercial hip-hop station. Over a gentle jazz-inflected beat, he raps about thinking critically with regard to the advice you get: “You gonna be big one day / That’s what they always tell me / You gonna be rich one day / That’s what they always sell me / Live by the hype / Or die by the hype / Eye in the light / And you might / Crash, dummy.”
Sometimes people with the best intentions don’t get it right. And sometimes people don’t even have good intentions, as Obasi reflects later: “They only get close to know what you live for / Kill for / Drill for / I feel for you / It’s fixing to get real for you.”
Above, check out a simple and elegant music video for the piece filmed by HALV (who worked with Obasi on last year’s “VILLELIKEMOOKIE”). His camera follows Obasi to a variety of spots all over town on a crisp fall day, including stopping for a sandwich with Chuck Indigo and spending some quality time in the park mentoring a kiddo. Find the EP on your favorite streaming service, and keep up with Obasi on Instagram for the latest news.
