Lowkey ft. Logic - Relatives

This joint is one of the most emotional evocative Hip-Hop tracks I’ve listened too. It’s a tragic story of misunderstanding and misinformation set against the backdrop of the war in Iraq. It follows an Iraqi kid (played by Logic) who grows to be a young man and enlist in the Mujahedeen and a young man from Britain (played by Lowkey) who becomes a member of the army. As the track progresses the lives of the two men are gradually drawn together with a harrowing ending.

One of the tracks triumphs is showing how the motivations - influenced by propaganda, tradition and the media – behind what could be considered quite despicable actions, can appear reasonable to the person who commits them. The track also looks at just how hard reconciliation can be when two parties are so invested in a conflict and have so much bad blood in the past.

The beat consists of a slow loop of mournful strings with a subtle, middle-eastern flavour, that immediately set the tracks tone. And the way the tracks set-up – with Logic and Lowkey going line for line – works well to convey how, at the same time, the characters are both so different and similar. The conditions they were raised in are completely different yet their motivations are incredibly similar.

‘[Lowkey:] I was born in Birmancy, one of the south parts

[Logic:] And I was born in Bazara, southside of Iraq

[Lowkey:] We used to play football outside in the park

[Logic:] We used to dodge bullets outside in the dark

[Lowkey:] I never prayed, I was told there isn't a god

[Logic:] I prayed 5 times a day it's like I lived in a mosque’

The highlight of the track is probably the closing line, which really helps to drive home the point that, no matter our race or how different our background, we’re all human beings who can see some of our self in others.

The only negative thing I have to say about the track is the chorus; I felt something melodic would have suited the track better than a rapped chorus.

10/10

Lyrics

Sounds Like: A British Immortal Technique

For more Lowkey check out his fantastic debut solo album, Dear Listener