Dave East has come to encapsulate the balancing act between New York's twin schools, new and old. Capable of gelling with OGs and contemporary artists alike (though not always), East has become one of the game's last encapsulation of a bygone era, handling his material with integrity that can't be faked. Such realness goes hand-in-hand with a heavy dose of self-awareness, which East appears to carry in spades. Case in point, East came through with a new Throwback Thursday Instagram post, looking back nearly a decade to reflect on how far he's come.
Noel Vasquez/Getty Image
Sharing a picture of his Jail ID card, East captioned the image with some reflection. "Watchin Kenan & Kel We Use To Sell Our Weed," he explains. "Been Home Almost A Decade Still Got My Jail ID...SURVIVAL." Curiously enough, the caption almost feels like it could even be made up of bars; could they truly be so ingrained within Dave East's vernacular? Given the presence of "Survival," perhaps the excerpts will arrive on his upcoming album of that same name.
In any case, respect to East for sharing a reminder of his journey, and we wish him the best in all endeavors moving forward. Anyone out there eager for some new moves from East? It would appear he'll be flexing his acting chops, playing Method Man in Hulu's upcoming Wu-Tang Clan series. In the meantime, look for that Survival project coming soon.