Believe it or not this song got its start over 10 years ago. I was in France working on the Uncle Haywood and Lucien album and was doing some record digging and I came across this old European Prog rock record that had some serious textures. I literally grabbed my portable turntable and threw the samples right into Ableton. The beat legit came together in less than an hour. I could hear it. I knew it was the next step for my production as I really wanted to start to push Hip Hop music sonically a bit. Can I make something that hits some frequencies Hip Hop doesn't always lean on? Prog rock style frequencies? In many ways, this track is an experiment, me trying to push it a bit, maybe even too much. But its my money and I got no label, so what the hell.
I also had the idea of Black Valhalla very early on. I wanted to do a song about Black warriors and envisioning a place that they all go to when this physical life is over. A place where Fanon and Walter Rodney now sit. I had been wanting to work with Johnny Voltik for some time and this song had the perfect texture. He went right into it, came into the lab with his lyrics ready having had sent him the beat a short time before, and we just improvised the chorus in the lab. I thought this song would see the light of day many years ago...
And then I paused on music for a long while and it sat on a Hard Drive until a few months ago when I got that bug again to get these tracks out. The only thing that changed was my verse which honestly needed an update. I'm glad I did, I'm quite proud of my spitting on this. I also had a nasty scratch performance from Marcus which I hadn't edited yet, so I put it together and sent it out to Willie Green for the mix and wham....here we have it. Black Valhalla.
In this time where the warrior spirit of the oppressed seems to be awakening again, this song once again feels incredibly important and frankly, I now understand why it laid dormant for so long...its time is now.
lyrics
Voltik:
He walk the earth feeling dizzy like just cried
With super love and the truths that could hush lies
Burnt by Judas’, zero soul Anakins
I think about him and play a miniature mandolin
But they were him, he burnt himself, the smoke rise above
He spread his wings again the wind would teach him free love
Soaring with doves way up over the “never-can’s”
And bitter veterans who missed the fine lettering
Holding their breath until their face turns the colour of the night sky
Cause he live life like he must die
His thoughts no longer deep, he’s pure instinct
While basics stay plotting holding their ice picks
Squeezing their love to death on some men or mice shit
He watch them as they fight each other over bullshit
He spit a flame, turn a pirate into no-name
Got lava in his veins
He’s breathing pure ether
Swoop in the ocean, swallowed like 10 liters
Victories feel like he mistreated the cheaters
And then he making love to goddesses, love genius
He’s aura’s like violet cheeba smoking out the divas
Sweet love hangovers feel like it’s Beefeater
Blowing opium into the tube fallopian
She pregnant with a god
Destined to save us all
Ironically when he was born we were all gone
Tumes:
A Persian prince unaffected by them time shifts
humble fists cause he shadowboxed with opulence
crescent kicks hit the summit tumble monuments
a populist destined to topple czars
oligarchs rub they belly on some jabba mess
bottom feed no matter who the trauma bleed
trails of tears followed for 400 years
wail with wounded knees any means we El-Haj
pay our penance with penmanship Angelou
pilgrimage on the plain they claim was sacrilege
passed on pacifist the pugilist inbred in grained master with no name battle in heaven till I broken sword my final blow
self-sacrifice spill the blood Alamo
forged in sun and steel this how we touching Zen
by forging elements chronicled by many men
Den mothers nurture napalm nectarines
nature path cause the patriarchs an overfiend
Style Warrior from Rap-a lot to Ragnorok
weaned on writers bench field nigga forged in trench
son of that new Rome wielding that old poem
so say we all until we back home
credits
from Black Valhalla,
track released June 5, 2020
Lyrics by Sir Tumes & Johnny Voltik
Produced by Sir Tumes for Altereye Music
Mixed & Mastered by Paul "Willie Green" Womack
Formerly known as Core Rhythm. Eternally known as Mtume Gant and currently referred to musically as Sir Tumes. His work in
the arts is extensive. His music making catalog has many avenues. The tale is long and still being written. Check out the sounds to follow the journey....more
This album is HIGHLY recommended!! Imagine if Boards of Canada blended with the ambient disc of Moby's "Hotel" and threw in some surprise bits of experimental rock and some subtle instrumental hip-hop influences. This is a VERY lush and extremely expansive set. Thorough has jumped leaps and bounds ahead of his immensely beautiful, "Bird," making that album come off as a mere practice run for this one by comparison! An impressive feat, indeed! Truly a stunning sonic display! Allan Raible
