Future Classic: Dolphin “Young Black Mind” (Fresh Selects Records)
via Fresh Selects: “Following up a noteworthy first year of releases with Mndsgn, Low Leaf and Coultrain – the Fresh Selects label are starting 2015 off with their first project that will debut a new artist to the world for the first time. Except in this case – this “new” artist also happens to be somewhat of a veteran.
The anomaly in question is Dolphin – a prolific outsider artist based in Baltimore. He has written and recorded over 50 full-length albums over the past 10 years or so – and has never officially released a single one of them. Until now.”
“To ease things into the barrage of music to come, he presents “Young Black Mind” – a 7 minute anthem that is as much autobiographical and specific as it is universal and ubiquitous. As he does on all his songs – Dolphin wrote, produced, recorded & played all the instruments on the track himself (in this case being vocals, piano, strings, bass guitar, and the MPC for drums). The song serves as a strong, yet mere “tip of the iceberg,” introduction to the wholly original sound that Dolphin has cultivated and developed over all these years.”
Mom worked two jobs to make sure we had
She never took a day off, even though she can
Long days and nights, she never cried in our face
When you lead by example, you do it with grace
Help me find a healthy way out of here
Somewhere safe where I can save my mind
“If this world is mine, I design this world,”
said a young black boy and girl
Did we come from the sun, or beyond the skies?
What will become of the young black mind?
Father had problems, he lived on his own
Stepfather became father, choice of his own
He’d tell me stories about wars between Egypt and Rome
He said there’s loves in these projects, but the rest of the globe –
you must know, you must go as far as you can go
Help me get healthy and get out of here
Somewhere safe where I can save my mind
“If this world is mine, I design this world,”
said a young black boy and girl
Did we come from the sun, or beyond the skies?
What will become of the young black mind?
As far as you can go…
Help me get me healthy and get out of here
Somewhere safe where I can save my babies and my mind
Living in this system that wasn’t designed for you at all
From the moment you’re born, till the moment that you fall
She said “I can’t give you much, but I’ll do what I can
One day you’ll be a family man, you’ll understand”
Life moves so fast, the future becomes the past
The day becomes the memory that barely lasts
But I have to thank you
You gave me everything that I needed to survive,
to survive…
And I know you’re watching
The secret’s out now – but the story’s just beginning.
Dolphin “Young Black Mind” Buy-Link (Name Your Price):
http://freshselects.bandcamp.com/album/young-black-mind
Photo Credit: Raheel Bear
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