For The FKN
Love
By
Arrested
Development
Back in September of 2020 Arrested
Development released their first album which featured production from UK Super
Producer Configa, ‘Don’t Fight Your Demons’. That album was a huge testament to
the longevity of the group and was packed with knowledge and politically
charged statements, all fused together with solid hip-hop beats that would
equally appeal to old and new heads alike.
When I originally reviewed that album
there was a little voice inside me that mused over what they could do next, and
could any future project stand up to the power and energy of that album? Then,
in December of last year, Arrested Development and Configa were back again,
dropping ‘For The FKN Love’, and when the album dropped in my inbox, courtesy
of Configa, I was extremely excited, to say the least.
At the time there was actually no
pressure for me to review the album. However, the more I listened to the album
the more it spoke to me, through a haze of personal fog. The more it spoke the
more I decided that, as soon as the time was right, I would make this my first
written piece of 2022 and here we are so, let me take you through the album and
give you my thoughts and feelings in a way that might be a little different
than usual…
The album kicks off in a big way with
some huge orchestral horns and a no nonsense boombap beat which immediately has
your pulse racing and your heart pounding. Configa’s production brings a
powerful yet uplifting vibe which is crucial right at the start. ‘Yes
Always’ has Speech and Dee-1 bringing a message that speaks to the deepest
parts of your being. We all have times that challenge us and make us question
if we can ever continue but, when those times weigh upon us, we just stand a
little taller and rise up one more time, essentially you have the strength in
you to do that and you CAN do it. This was a message, at the time, that I
needed to hear and was a reminder to me that I could do it, it might take time
to rise up but, I would do it and here I am today and if I can do it, you can
do it too. There is strength in those words, you can do it, Yes Always you can.
The uplifting vibe continues with Configa’s inspired deep funk sound of
strings, bass and big drums perfectly matching with the message of ‘Building
From The Bottom’. Speech, 1 Love and 4-IZE take you on an inspiring journey
as they detail what it is to build something from scratch. Bringing you all the
challenges, the drive, the inspirations, and those ultimate rewards as you work
on your craft, growing something amazing from the smallest of seeds.
‘Never Had Your Back’ has a
dualistic approach to getting its message across. Here Configa provides an
uplifting mix of piano, drums, and cuts as a backdrop for Speech and Ke’andra
to bring us a deep message on the treatment of black women by the patriarchal
American society. It’s time for this degrading portrayal of how black women
should be or how they should act to change, and that certainly means telling it
how it is to make people listen, as displayed on this banger. The ultimate
message here is to give them true strength and true power by showing them in
their true light that shines from the inside out. They are not an object and
should not be viewed as such. ‘Swing Um’ is a track that has club anthem
written all over it. Creating a homage to one of the ultimate posse cuts, ‘The
Symphony’, is HUGE and requires a big line up and here AD’s Speech, Masta Ace,
Dell-P and Fatman Scoop step up. Configa drops a scintillating club vibe with
keyboards, drums, and cuts while Fatman Scoop whips the crowd up and has
everyone in a bouncing frenzy, which is just what you need for Speech, Masta
Ace and Dell-P to drop the kinda rhymes that gets the crowds hearts pounding,
fists pumping and jumping, while still keeping the wise words flowing with ease
that engage the mind as much as the body. Turn the volume up on this one!
It’s time to chill things out a bit
but, that does not mean that AD will let your heads come out of the clouds.
Configa’s harmonious drums, strings, and piano notes are the key to being a
little more laid back as Speech is joined by Monie Love and Tony Momrelle, with
a soulful chorus, on ‘Thank You’. This one speaks to us all, by giving
us the inspiration to remember and to celebrate all of those who have inspired
us or been a key part of our life’s journey. We all have many people to thank
in some way and whatever way you choose to thank them, let it be from the
heart. Time to switch the energy levels back up on ‘Bout It’ with a funk
fuelled vibe of horns, drums, guitar, and cuts. In fact, what Configa has
captured on this beat really seems to have been inspired by Prince, it really
has the feel for being like a homage to the purple one. Speech is joined by
MRK-SX, Jahah and guitarist Alex Jones to deliver words of wisdom that
celebrate the female form, it’s true beauty and how all aspects of the feminine
energy touch us on every level. ‘UNI (TY)’ has a more simplistic feel to
the beat with just piano, drums and vocals creating the backdrop, courtesy of
Clint Taylor. This opens up the track to let the vocals of Speech resonate.
Putting more emphasis on the lyrics works so well here as the message is deep,
looking at what divides us as people and the ways in which we choose to see
differences in each other. What we truly need is to see past these apparent
differences and understand that all we truly need is ‘U n I and UNITY’. From
that thought provoking moment it’s time to get your head nodding and body
moving, in a laid-back way, to the strings, keyboards and drums of ‘I Don’t
Care’, perfectly produced by Configa. Here Speech details what it is to be
who he truly is. Many may constantly scrutinise his life and all he is doing
but, the truth is he is just doing his best to live his life. His message in
this track is simple and one that we can all heed - no matter what others may
think of you and how they might choose to see you, all you need to be is YOU
and to be the grandest expression of who you truly are. Don’t concern yourself
with what others might think as that that is their stuff, you are you so, be
you.
‘Do It Up’ is the first of two
tracks from Speech produced by Cris Acosta and another track that has a dual
aspect to it. The beat has this laid-back guitar vibe that seems in almost full
contrast to the drums, that have this kind of industrial feel to them. This
dualistic nature is mirrored in the lyrics which look at both the dark and
light times we all experience in our lives. We may often slip in cark periods
in our lives but, the light is always there for us to reach out to. There are
many different ways we can elevate ourselves to reach for the light and music
is one of those ways, a catalyst to bring forth the light in our lives. ‘Where
Lions Roam’ is the second track from Speech and Cris Acosta. The syths,
electronic sounds and sparce beat give this a kind of focused feel, like you
are on one path, going one way and any deviation from that path and who you are
is an alien concept. The world can be a dangerous place and as we grow, we are
taught that we have to be a certain way and follow a certain path. We are
conditioned to be and act a certain way from birth. It takes courage to look
beyond the social conditioning and to change who we have been taught to be but,
in taking that step, into the place where lions roam, we can exhibit our inner
lion and we can truly be free to be ourselves.
The experience of the small-town boy
moving to the big city is the setting for ‘We Are Not In Kansas’.
Configa’s pounding drums and keyboards take Arrested Development to the streets
as Speech and Freddie Foxx look at situations of where you’re from and where
you’re at, examining the differences and how it affects you in moving from a
small quiet town to the hustle, stresses, and strains of life in the city. As I
first listened to ‘Be Refreshed’, the mix of strings, drums, keyboards,
and etheric vocal samples from Configa seemed to have an almost modern trap
vibe but, the more I listened the less apparent that became, my head was
definitely nodding all the same. The lyrics from Speech, 1 Love and Twan Mack
have this definite feel of looking at what is going on in America and, to a
point, the world. There is so much that is affecting people right now and what
can be done to separate them from the pain. It’s a song about taking a step
back to relax and refresh before taking time to understand differing viewpoints
and situations, then taking time to consider the best way forward… That feeling
of how best to approach certain situations follows us into ‘Grandma’s
Southern Ways’. The horns, harmonica, piano, and drums all combine to bring
a huge upbeat vibe with an abundance of pure energy, courtesy of Configa.
Speech, G-Love and Lish Speaks focus on the many challenges that life brings
and how we choose to overcome them. So many times, when we are faced with a
difficult situation, we will look to those tried and tested methods, that have
been handed down to us, as the simplest way to get through and overcome
whatever obstacle lies in front of us. The abundance of energy we just had is
the perfect springboard for Speech and Twisted Royalty on ‘We Feeling It
All’. The drums, percussion, xylophone, and choral vocals, produced by
Speech himself, bring us a definite feel-good vibe where the energy hits in
short bursts. This one speaks on many levels but, the ultimate message here is
deep and acknowledges that we have all been through some tough times. We have
faced challenges in all aspects of our lives, seen people and loved ones pass
from this life but, we are still here. We carry on doing what we do, feeling
every ounce of emotion and do our very best to channel it in the most positive
ways, as we look to a brighter future.
After considering all that, what you
need is something to give you a glimpse of that brighter future. What you get
is Configa dropping a straight up boombap beat full of horns, drums, guitar,
and cuts that has you seriously amped up while touching you on a certain level
too. ‘Vibe’ was released as a single and sees Speech joined by the
legendary Big Daddy Kane, Cleveland P Jones, and Tasha LaRae for some
high-energy, feel-good hip-hop. ‘Vibe’ is all about that energy that is
inside us all, that spark that will never fail to bring out all those positive
feelings within us. Sometimes we might question if that spark really does exist
or we might feel we have lost it for good but, one listen to this track and you
cannot fail to reach inside and light that spark… As we move into the
penultimate track of the album, we find a deep vibe once more but, one that is
most certainly tinged with a silver lining. The deep musical aspect comes from
Configa’s mix of horns, guitar, drums, and xylophone notes. That musical
backdrop fits perfectly as Speech and KXNG Crooked focus on the many
experiences people have in their drive to push forward in life and to make
something of themselves and to leave a legacy. You might not know the story
behind the faces, just as they may not know your story but, have faith in each
other, support and encourage each other in reaching your goals, and tell them ‘I
Want U To Make It’. Supporting each other means you can all ‘Have Your
Moment’ and that is exactly what Speech, Configa, The Sugarhill Gang and 1
Love are here to tell you. The beat is big and one to bounce to, full of
guitars, drums and cuts it lifts you up and holds you there. The lyrics swirl
around your mind with an energy that encourages you to raise yourself up and
have your own moment in the spotlight. Not everyone will know you, they might
not even like you but, your moment is just that, it’s yours and it’s gonna feel
damn good. So, have faith in your ability and in who you truly are, the more
you do that, the more others will see it and the brighter you moment will be.
So, what can I say about the album
overall? What is plainly obvious is that Arrested Development have not reached
a level with ‘Don’t Fight Your Demons’ and then plateaued, they have in
fact continued to step it up and ‘For The FKN Love’ shows that there is
no need for the sky to be the limit, you can keep pushing into the atmosphere
and beyond. One thing that has struck me is the level of knowledge and
entertainment value this album has. I would go for as say that Arrested
Development has a definite sense of Edutainment. By edutainment I mean that
this album can be looked on as being both educational and entertaining.
Its educational value comes from the
depth of knowledge, personal experience and the deep level of social/political
narrative that Speech and the guest artists use to focus on things such as the
struggles of the black community, the treatment of black women and even mental
health. There is something to be learned by everyone here. There is so much
here, lyrically, that is delivered with knowledge, presence of mind and without
compromise, producing music that is full of feeling and character that speaks
so deeply to the listener at times.
The entertainment value musically
really goes without saying. But, in working with Configa, it has just brought
that extra dimension to what Arrested Development do. Configa brings that solid
boombap hip-hop sound whilst also being able to strikingly switch between vibes
and moods as the nature of the lyrics require. When the beat is boombap it is
the perfect stage for Speech to deliver straight up hip-hop vibes to get the
listener or the whole club bouncing. There is no doubt in my mind that ‘For
The FKN Love’ is going to easily stand the test of time.
Everything that has gone into this
album from Arrested Development, Configa and the guest artists is the perfect
sound to help give you that sense of energy and drive you need to feel the love
and reach for that light you want in your future. In fact, it helps you not
just reach for the light but, to also grip it with both hands and pull it
towards you. I really felt that this album was conscious hip-hop on another
level. You could feel the emotion at times, the strength of the energy that
went into every word, every line, and every beat. In reflecting on the album as
I wrote my notes for the review, I could feel how deeply the album had touched
me at times and the level of emotions it raised.
There is simply no better way of
stepping into a positive and free future than by listening to ‘For The FKN
Love’ by Arrested Development.
The Album is out now, Link Below.
Huge thanks to Configa for sending me
the album.
I’m Outta Here, Steve
LINKS
Get The Album from Bandcamp Here:
https://officialarresteddevelopment.bandcamp.com/album/for-the-fkn-love
Arrested Development Official Website:
https://www.arresteddevelopmentmusic.com/
Configa on Bandcamp:
VIDEOS
VIBE
SWING UM
NEVER HAD YOUR BACK
