Back On This Road

West Philly rapper Cooley Black shares a soulful new number today, spitting over a horn-laden boom bap beat and putting his full emotional range on display. Halfway through, we hear a number of answering machine messages that give us a little more perspective into Cooley's life, as he addresses the anxiety that causes him to screen phone calls, ultimately deciding to make the best of the situations that sometimes feel hopeless. It's the kind of song that's driven almost entirely by its central performance, living or dying on the connection with its central character. Cooley passes the test.