Oblé Reed has been on a hot streak in 2023. The Seattle artist kicked off the year with “WHERETHEMONEYGROWS.,” singing and rapping over an absolutely filthy beat. Reed racked up 61K views on a TikTok using the track, which expertly brought viewers into the lush forests of the Pacific Northwest. He followed this up with “WESTON.,” which got placed on Spotify’s “Ripple Effect: PNW” editorial.
It’s his most recent release though, titled “BLACKKIDS.”, that may just be HIS best yet. There’s a bit of everything on this one, Oblé flexes his melodic prowess early in the song, his irrefutably impressive raps later on and it’s topped with an anthemic chorus that ties the bow on the tune. And of course, it’s the hook that gives this song its premise, that can be summed up no better than the man that penned it himself.
“From a young age, we’re taught that our skin is more than just a color. To some, it’s a threat. To others, it’s currency. To our own, it’s community and shared experience. Each generation does its best to warn the next of what lies ahead of them. When our kids grow up faster than is good for their spirits. So what if we lied and told them everything was all right? Let their smiles linger for a second. Worry can wait for tomorrow. Tonight we celebrate us. Just a couple of Black kids alive and healthy, what more could we need?”