Manny King John
Outlast time like Donnie Darko, disappear on my set
RENiMAAA hits again with a late 2020 offering in ‘Donnie Darko’. The dark, chaotic visual perfectly matches the Jaden (Smith)-esque angst that he channels so well for this track. Everything, from the lyrics to the video, sync up with the 2001 movie of the same name. Fireworks being let off in the street, car chases and anti-police graffiti are all bathed in a grainy black and white overlay while RENiMAAA’s staccato-like, repetitive lyrics blow through both ears.
Ain’t no justice in America, they erase freedom
RENiMAAA also blesses with subtitles on the music video so listeners can’t miss a bar. And there are plenty. One of the best parts of Donnie Darko is his delivery and how he emphasizes certain themes through repetition: “I dream (x12) I’m not like this one day; I sin (x12) I ain’t perfect, but I’m patient.”
Paranoia opens scars like lesions in my head
As he floats over an almost paranormal beat, RENiMAAA makes sure to subtly highlight the wasteland that is America’s justice system and politics, his uplifting of and love for Black folk and mental health awareness. He somehow managed to encapsulate the dumpster fire that 2020 has been, but set it to an earworm-causing beat with entrancing lyrics and flow, and a dope visual to match. It definitely feels like the world was going to end a couple of times this year, just like Donnie Darko thought it would in 1988. Stream and watch RENiMAAA’s “Donnie Darko” below.
