‘Forbidden Knowledge’ draws inspiration from the book of Genesis, where as the story tells, Adam and Eve ignorantly pick and eat the forbidden fruit from the ‘tree of the knowledge of good and evil’, before God punishes them by banishing the two from the Garden of Eden – essentially, this forbidden knowledge ‘destroying mankind’ as Raury’s intro announces. Production on ‘Forbidden Knowledge’ is largely minimalistic, with floaty guitar strums here and there with the main focus on thumping drums from start to finish. The track features three heavy verses and a basic chorus consisting of the two words in the songs title, setting up a vibe that is subtly intense. Track 3, Forbidden Knowledge’, is a collaboration with fellow Sourthern rapper/producer Big K.R.I.T. Raury discusses his belief of people in power holding us back from evolving and bettering our world, and the cowardess of many influential figures who make their money and then vanish instead of using their privilege to raise awareness for oppressed individuals who aren’t so lucky – he aims to be a person who generates a significant change instead of just expressing it. Raury cries the fervent, ‘ lord save this burning earth’, over fast-paced strumming and heavy bongos, before hints of electronic production and deep bass are incorporated during the first verse. 1’ from Raury’s first project Indigo Child. ‘Revolution’ – fittingly – is passionate and chant heavy, reminiscent of tracks ‘Chariots of Fire’ and ‘War pt. He showcases his clean-cut flow on a final verse, introducing his mixture of both folk and rap to listeners on a verse which summarises the influences which have inspired the LP and the content which we’re about to explore. The euphonious chorus sees Raury repeatedly question, ‘ who’s gonna save the world my friend?’ before concluding that it’s not a matter of ‘saving the world’, per se, but instead that ‘ all we need is love’. Collaborating on the majority of the records production with Malay, the highly praised, grammy winning producer most commonly known for his close work with Frank Ocean on his momentous 2012 debut Channel Orange, All We Need delivers artistic excellence and creative integrity, while Raury is careful not to showcase his intelligence as arrogance remaining humbly aware of exactly who he is and the vision he is fighting so hard to bring to reality.Īll we need’ s title track emerges the album with monotonous electronic production, sounding like something straight out of Yeezus, before sleekly transitioning into a tranquillising acoustic folk track which ponders the obscure journey to world peace. One of Raury’s key purposes is to eliminate that notion altogether – he strongly believes that the youth of today are the answer we are the ones who can truly make a difference in what we wish to see in the world. Raury’s vision is undeniably focused, his sheer determination shifting the notion that todays youth are incapable of making a difference, as he speaks on some of the worlds most calamitous and controversial topics – ranging from racial segregation, poverty and seclusion, to government authority and the intensifying downfall of the earths resources.
If this is your first introduction to the irrefutable young prodigy, Raury’s eclectic sound may not be exactly what you were expecting – he holds his sound through acoustic/folk roots but with added hip hop elements which set him aside to be one of the most unorthodox voices of this generation, allowing him to stand in his own self-made league.
In an industry which often forgets the urgency of communicating matters which are critical and palpably real, Raury is an essential, rejuvenating breath of fresh air. “ I’d love to sell a million copies but I’d rather influence a million minds… ” 19 year old Atlanta, Georgia born Raury tweeted candidly just days before the long anticipated release of his debut album, All We Need, the follow up to his free, acclaimed 2014 debut project, Indigo Child.