Some Powerful Rap /// Music Monday #59

Heyo! It's time for another rapid-fire Music Monday post.

Our song for today is none other than . . .

"The Search" from the album The Search

Composed by NF

If you have never listened to any of Nathan Feuerstein's songs, have you even lived? His is some of the only music that I'd consider to be excellent rap. Most rap music these days use the same ol' trashy beats, with the same ol' curses flying everywhere and the same ol' messages about girls they've had sex with, how much money they have, what kind of cars they own, etc.

Not NF. A Christian rapper who prefers to be known as just a rapper (thanks to the pre-conceived notions that come when someone hears about a Christian musician), he appeals to both the religious and the non-religious with his deep, powerful, and sometimes dark lyrics. I don't mean dark in the typical sense when it comes to music and such, but rather, real and brutally honest lyrics about life and its trials.

The song I chose isn't one of his darker songs, but it's still crazy good. I just heard it for the first time a week or two ago, and it's probably one of my favorite songs of his now. First, can we talk about the actual music? Since when does a rapper rely so heavily on strings to provide the beat for his speedy lines? Then the way that percussion comes in and shakes the whole thing, including the camera . . . It's perfect! And the haunting choir, too! NF really knows his stuff.

The music video is also really well done. Filmed in Iceland, I believe, it uses the same color scheme that has been used for pretty much every one of NF's music videos, if not them all. Plus, there's a lot of symbolism here, which I won't take the time to explain. I'd like to see you draw your own conclusions first.

And the lyrics! This man is practically a poet, a master of the word. I think my favorite part is when he's talking about how we all have something that we try to drown, but it's always coming back to haunt us. Then he relates that to how our minds are so influential. The best stuff comes when he says:

"Just think about it for a second, if you look at your face

Every day when you get up and think you'll never be great

You'll never be great, not because you're not, but the hate

Will always find a way to cut you up and murder your faith."

That's a super deep and important message for people. Too often we slice ourselves at the knees with our misbeliefs and our poor self-image. And this is coming from a rap song, mind you. Like I said, NF is not like your average rapper.

That's all for today! What'd you think of the song and its music video? Any thoughts on the symbolism? Favorite line(s)?