Tndrcat them changesThundercat – one third of the LA Hip Hop Holy Trinity which includes Flying Lotus and Kendrick Lamar – recently released his dope ass mini-album The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam. In true artistic mesmerizing fashion, Thundercat dropped a cerebral video for the ultra-smooth funky track Them Changes. I can’t help but have this track on repeat. With help of talented director Carlos Lopez Estrada, the video begins with an Isley Brothers sample from Footsteps in the Dark as we see two Samurai (one male, one female) warriors doing battle in a dimly lit household garage.

Viewing the feature, I immediately felt the conflict and division between the “real life family” who are displayed on the picture tacked to the garage wall in the background. I love when a music video actually reflects and compliments the lyrics of the song. Thundercat’s sensitive first verse starts right before the man meets his conclusion to the battle;

Nobody move, there’s blood on the floor
And I can’t find my heart!
Where did it go? Did I leave it in the cold?
So please give it back, cause it’s not yours to take!
It must’ve fell when I lost my mind
Deep in the cut, drowning in a pain
Somebody help cause I can’t find my way
Nobody move, nobody move!

Once we get a full scope of the family dynamics, you see the tiredness, disconnect, and irritation between the family sexes; with what I perceive is the man feeling helpless to fix his broken home.

Somebody tell me how I’m supposed to feel
When I’m sitting here knowing this ain’t real
Why in the world would I give my heart to you?
Just to watch you throw it in the trash
I’ve been traveling so long, I don’t think I can hold on
Where were you when I needed you the most?
Now I’m sitting here with a black hole in my chest
A heartless, broken mess

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