Cut of the Day: Tope, "Think it Over," Since the Last Time We Spoke

Sometimes, reflection is best. Tope’s “Think It Over,” from his just-released EP Since the Last Time We Spoke, is the perfect soundtrack for slowing down. The Since the Last Time We Spoke EP follows the similarly named Until the Next Time We Meet—the Portland rapper’s second album, following his 2010 LP Soul Music. The soul continues into this new release, which is full of eclectic R&B samples and an overall mellow vibe perfect for these (supposed) summer days.

Featuring a fantastically selected sample from Bobby Womack’s “Woman’s Gotta Have It”—“think it over, think it over, my brother”—this soulful ode to thinking truly hits close to home. It fades in subtly with a foggy guitar lick from the Womack track, over which Tope reflects that in the most turbulent periods of one’s life it is crucial to take time to oneself and think. His flow is relaxed and effortless. The lyrics themselves, however, do not seem so easy. In the same verse, he boasts his own skill as a rapper—a typical act of young rapper’s bravado—and then ruminates the unease one feels about spending too much time in one's own mind (not so run-of-the-mill). 

The discomfort is fleeting, however. The smooth, mid-tempo production combined with Womack’s continued reminders to “think it over” really set one at ease. Tope exposes his own chaotic thought process while celebrating its value to his creativity, and it’s enough to leave anyone feeling inspired. Here’s hoping he performs this song tonight at Kelly’s Olympian, where his EP release party begins at 9 pm.

Bonus: Tope's recent OPB performance: