Umoja is Swahili for “Unity” and is also the the first principle of Kwanzaa which is today, December 26th. Each verse of the song touches on relationships Substantial has developed over the years. His marriage/family & community. The message of the song is making the world around us better by simply working “together”.
I actually welcome tracks like these. A little diversity never hurt anybody. Check out the track – and its lyrics – down bottom.
VERSE 1
Could’ve made a baby mom out of ya’ but I figured wife was better
I wrote Eclipse for you instead of writing letters
You held down through my endeavors and in turn
We gained experience through rotten weather and we learned…
That above this fog is Cloud 9
Visibility’s low but I don’t let cloud mine
I see you… but this ain’t Pandora
But fight for your man and you know he’ll fight for ya’
But in the meantime… we keep Peace & Order
Plant food for thought and keep our seed watered
Like many before us we could play this solo
But we make a better chorus ’cause we make great music (together)
An imperfect harmony
Couple scars but we’re durable like mahogany
And over the years it may crack and splinter
When it’s colder that last year’s winter but we hold it (together)
Like our lives depended on it
No fluff, built this with the proper components!
That’s why…HOOK
(Together)
(Together)VERSE 2
Uh-huh! What’s unity without family, right? Eh…
Pops in the cemetery, bro was in the military
Mom ain’t got a mister and I got 5 sisters
Only two I’m not in contact with. No grudges,
Man I’m too old to be on that ish. Still love’em and
If you’re listening I hope life’s treating you well
And your thirst for success too strong for you to fail
Lesson learned from my fam, in fact
The very thing that helped me make it through hell and back
And I’m cool.
How fire gon’ burn the sun? Don’t be a fool
I learned what resilient meant because of you and (together)
We continue to make it through
Cancer, Mental Illness, Diabetes, and who…
Knows what else but I’ll tell you what we can do
Raise our kids healthier and wiser but we gotta do it (together)
For Dillain, Octy, & Ren Ren
And all my little fam, a better future’s within them… yeah!HOOK
VERSE 3
Yo…
I ain’t even gotta know you to show you love
‘Cause nowadays complete strangers could be your blood
So I treat everybody like a cous’ on a GP
Until your attitude switch from love to “bleep” me
Everybody and their mama from the street
But when it need improvements, they forget it completely
How you gonna make a child and not raise’em
Tell me, can you love your God and not praise him?
Same goes for your offspring or it fall on…
Me to make everything alright when it’s all wrong
Call on me, we share a common enemy
Inner-turmoil from not knowing our true identity
Turn our backs on the exact ones we should bond with
I got your back young we need action to make progress (Together)
We can conquer any nonsense
Invest in one another and our people shall profit
Lets start it!HOOK
PREVIOUS: Substantial – Movin’ Alright f. yU (prod. Oddisee)
