Top 25 Favorite Albums of 2019

#21 You Can’t Sit With Us - Pivot Gang

My introduction to anything Pivot Gang was December 2018 when my homeboy told me to check out Saba’s ‘Care For Me’ album (which happens to be the inaugural Don’t Sleep article

https://www.induberantlymedia.com/post/don-t-sleep-1). I was interested to hear exactly what Saba’s crew sounds like together with my new found interest in his music. I’m gonna go into this and tell you I’m embarrassed to say I have not done great research on the artists as individuals so if it comes off that way it is that. What I do know is that they are based out of one of my favorite music cities Chicago and they are special. Lets jump into that Death Row. When I first heard that beat I was interested to see what they mood was gonna be on it. It’s really open in a sense a couple chords, small sample and snaps, the possibilities are unlimited. They took the groovy political-ish route. The one thing I love about this song and this crew is no one sounds alike. Their verses are distinct it keeps the records refreshing because there’s a lot of times where other crews will not have distinguished tones and it becomes stale after awhile but Pivot manages to avoid that. I find myself singing the hook to Hero at the most random moments of the day. I love the messages in the verses on this record. From distinguishing social media love from real love to blacks being the targets of a messed prison system and police force. It‘s not preachy at though which is why I love the song. It has a nice little vibe to it while being aware of real life situations. Edward Scissorhands is my sleeper song on the project. I really didn’t like it my first couple times listening to it. Then I remember just riding out one day and bobbing my head like crazy. It was like I took my thinking cap off and it hit different for me. The hook is hilarious to me too. Telling a chick she doesn’t have to trim her bush, she don’t have to Edward Scissorhands is forever hilarious to me.

Pivot Gang put together an album I’ve revisited throughout the year. You Can’t Sit With Us is an amazing showcase of the new conscious artists from Chicago. They don’t sound like other Chicago artists but they can live in the world of those artists and be successful. I thoroughly enjoyed the variety that was offered on the project and they had songs that kept me coming back due to cravings months after the initial release. I would have loved to hear a little more traditional boom bap up there but I understand that not everyone wants to do that nowadays.

You Can’t Sit With Us is number 21 on this year‘s list. I’m just gonna take a second to say thank you to the collective for releasing such amazing music this year and I pray for your continued success. I also wanna say Rest In Peace to Walt. That story from Prom/King sticks with me forever. I know he’s super proud of what y’all are doing. Thank you for the inspiration.