Title: “Make America Breathe Again”
Artist: Orion
Album: TBA (2020)
Release Date: July 25, 2020
Length: 5:06
Format: CD Single, Digital Download, 7” Single, Weekly Airplay
Recorded: June 2020 – Studio 60, West Hollywood, California, USA
Genre(s): Rap, Hip-Hop, Trap
Label: Tric-Jam Records
Writer(s): Brayton Carter, Jadyn Ghalen, Jamal Ghalen
Producer(s): Orion, DeAndre Patton
“Make America Breathe Again” is the second single by American hip-hop group 'Orion', following on the heels of their highly successful debut single “Fuck Me Over” which peaked at the number one position on the charts, capping a strong debut from the group following the recent announcement of them signing their first major record deal with 'Tric-Jam Records'. While being hard at work in the studio, working on their debut album, in the following weeks since their debut single dropped, the trio have been nominated for two awards at the upcoming Fan Choice Awards as well as being confirmed as performers for the live ceremony in August, marking their first live performance of note since signing their record deal.
In the week leading up to the release of their second single, it was confirmed that the group were at least half-way through the recording of their debut album and it was confirmed that they'll be recording with a couple of guest spots in the coming weeks as they come towards the end of the recording process. It was confirmed by the group that they had to take consideration in whether to release this track as a single due to it's topic but they eventually settled on releasing the track as a single, stating that it shows another side to their work and that it's important for them to stand up for what they believe in and not to be afraid of voicing their opinions. Early indications pointed towards “Make America Breathe Again” being a black lives matter protest song, but it was later confirmed that the song isn't specifically about that although there are mentions, it's more of an anti-trump song on the whole.
The track was written and composed by Orion with additional uncredited vocals by Marina Balan during the songs chorus and was produced by Orion alongside DeAndre Patton. It was recorded at Studio 60 Recording Studios in West Hollywood, California in June 2020 and will be released as a CD Single, Digital Download, 7” Single and made available to Weekly Airplay on July 25, 2020 through Tric-Jam Records.
The rap trio that gave such a strong showing with their debut single “Fuck Me Over” are back and tasked with the challenging question, what direction do you go in next? The self-confident swagger and playful lyrics combined with the addictive trap beats proved to be a strong showing for the group, so much so that the anticipation on hearing more from them has become quite prominent. If the initial reports from inside the studio are to be believed, they had three options for the follow-up single, more of the same in a track highlighting the ones that were with them from the beginning, a collaborative effort that wasn't quite finished in time or the third option being a political statement and a lyrically aggressive track that has shown one thing in particular, they're not afraid to cower away in a corner when a major topic is brought to the table.
They deliver a scathing indictment of the current political landscape and encourage change in the upcoming election as if they were elder statesmen of the rap game, such is the confident and aggression of their second single, showing a more serious side. It begins immediately with brooding keyboards and bass combination and the trio set their stall out immediately with Boa's opening verse as he raps about the state of the government as we move into potentially the final year of Trump's leadership, “We got ourselves into a little situation/The graduation year from junior to senior for our nation/Let's hope this is the final year/Feels like a million years since Obama care.” as they reference the seeds of change that have since been eradicated in the years since the previous regime.
Whether you agree with their sentiments you can't help but respect their confidence in sending a track that has the potential to divide as their second effort, but it's lines like “Exacerbating tensions while obsessing over twitter mentions.” or the reference to Trump's clash with Greta Thunberg earlier in the year, “You must be the change you want to see in the world/But you're being outworked by a fucking seventeen year old Swedish girl.”, to the tongue in cheek mention of assassination “Twenty-twenty thought we put this shit/Put this shit to bed/Send him off to pasture/Bang! Bang! Metaphorical bullets in his head.” the wording probably a wise move in including “Metaphorical”. But the songs chorus once again sung beautifully by Marina Balan, the unofficial fourth member of the group it seems as she sings, “Let's make America breathe again/Let us be the catalyst for change again/Let's not be shackled by chains again.” again the thought going into the wordplay is one of their strengths it would seem.
But it's the final verse delivered by Bellows under the slowed down and melancholic rhythmic beats that really helps push this song to it's heights as the playful tongue-in-cheek lyrics give way for real concerns and delivered with passion and aggression with references to the two most high profile issues faced in the United States this year, the COVID pandemic and the death or George Floyd and subsequent BLM movement that followed. With lyrics like, “How can you give him four more/When he didn't even deserve the inauguration speech to start with/Practice what you preach, drink the fucking bleach.” in reference to the presidents suggestion that Bleach could be an option in fighting the virus and “There's still a lot of hate in this world/Logically, how can anybody feel free when there's people out there that still don't want us to be?/Whether it's woman's rights, gay rights, gun control or black lives/It all fucking matters.”
All of this adds up to a strong statement from a group that you feel want to show that there's many sides to what they do, they don't want to just fall in to the crowd in the contemporary music world, instead they want to carve a path unique to themselves, creating music that is so completely uniquely themselves and their sound. It's potentially foolish to step out with a political statement of a song so early on, but with the right care and effort taken in it's lyrics as they have done, they could potentially be sitting on another hit and gain some intrigue and crossover from other fandoms that appreciate their sentiments. It's more likely that they will gain more than they will lose from this track. However, single number three needs to veer away from statements and big issues as being labelled a political act would cause more lasting damage in the early stages of their career. Follow this up with another club anthem and set yourself back on the right course following this important but minor detour. All that being said, it's another strong showing.
“Make America Breathe Again”{Boa}
“We got ourselves into a little situation
The graduation year from junior to senior for our nation
Let's hope this is the final year
Feels a million years since Obama care
Now we're firing careless missile's through the air
Exacerbating tensions while obsessing over twitter mentions
The fuck is this shit
Thought we moved past all of this?
Deserved better than this?
Let's make America breathe again
Let us be the catalyst for change again
Let's not be shackled by chains again
Let's make America breathe again
Let us be the catalyst for change again
Let's not be shackled by chains again
{Bellows}
It's all been said before
'You must be the change you want to see in the world'
But you're being outworked by a fucking seventeen year old Swedish girl
How's there still people out there that support you
Maybe they're like you too
Just another mindless drone
Or is this more like Stockholm Syndrome
He's got them in his grips
Z-List politics
Psychological characteristic
It's a fucking mental illness
But this is it
Twenty-twenty thought we put this shit
Put this shit to bed
Send him off to pasture
Bang! Bang! Metaphorical bullets in his head
{Circuit}
Does it have to be metaphorical?
The thought of another four years seems illogical
Might have to take matters into my own hands
I'd probably get off for defending this land
Ha, land of the free
Look what he's done to me
Got me thinking violently
Fuck it, I'd do it voluntarily
Let's make America breathe again
Let us be the catalyst for change again
Let's not be shackled by chains again
Let's make America breathe again
Let us be the catalyst for change again
Let's not be shackled by chains again
{Bellows}
Twenty-twenty went and fucked it though
Got a clown leading us through a pandemic, the likes of which we ain't ever seen before
How can you give him four more
When he didn't even deserve the inauguration speech to start with
Practice what you preach, drink the fucking bleach
Maybe that will solve this
But nah, let's just slow this down for a verse
I honestly don't know where to start
Sometimes it feels like the worlds driving in reverse
There's still a lot of hate in this world
Logically, how can anybody feel free when there's people out there that still don't want us to be?
Whether it's woman's rights, gay rights, gun control or black lives
It all fucking matters
And our feet hurt from marching
But we'll keep marching on
Eight minutes and forty six seconds was what it took
You tried to brush it under the rug
But were too dumb to realize that the whole world gave a fuck
Does anyone feel responsible
Does anyone feel regret
Eight minutes and forty six seconds
He held a knee to another human's neck
Doesn't matter who you are
It's clear for all to see
This shit just ain't human to you and me”
Credits & PersonnelCREDITSProduced by Orion and DeAndre Patton
Engineered by DeAndre Patton
Mixed by Brayton “Bellows” Carter
Recorded at Studio 60, West Hollywood, California, USA
PERSONNELBrayton “Bellows” Carter – vocals, keyboards, lyrics, composition, production, mixing
Jadyn “Boa” Ghalen – vocals, bass, lyrics, production
Jamal “Circuit” Ghalen – vocals, drum machine, lyrics, production
Marina Balan – vocals
DeAndre Patton – production, engineering
