Not just because I spent a good bit of my formative years growing up in West Philadelphia, I tend to really appreciate the hip hop that comes out of Philly, from Eve to The Roots to Cassidy and even Will Smith (his earlier stuff). A good deal of philly hip hop always comes across genuine, authentic, community-driven, and Revolution's music fits this mold as well.
The song "In Your Corner" speaks of something I consider a rare and lost art. Loyalty. The ability to stand by a friend through right and wrong, ups and downs, thicks and thins. An act lost in today's society due to a lost in overall integrity. Getting flustered and lost in others' judgements of us, we tend to drop integrity, devalue the worth of our word, hold and give little trust, and often find ourselves feeling is if we have no one to call on, not realizing it's because in possessing no integrity and putting forth no loyalty, we in turn receive no loyalty and integrity from the ones around us. A self perpetuating act that leaves trust, few and far in between.
Revolutions brings it back and informs us to take pride in loyalty, exercise it and allay any distrusts by simply letting your friend know straight-up that you are in their corner and willing to fight with them when they do not want to battle alone. He drives these points hope with poetic glory throwing in lyrical gems such as:
- "When you're running through the flames, I'll be there running too. I'll meet you at the finish line, waiting right in front of you."
- "To everybody special in your life, take time to let them know that you will never take flight. You're still there whether they're wrong or they're right. You're still up in their corner, you're along for the fight."
