South Seattle-based rapper/poet and community organizer Essam released his debut album 12.12 at the end of 218. In the two years since his debut video "West is my Home," Essam has been invited to perform on different continents, sharing his journey through creative expression everywhere from countries like South Africa, Malaysia, United Kingdom, Netherlands and more. He has also maintained a constant presence in the South Seattle community where he grew up, helping to cultivate safe spaces for young poets to grow and share their work.
Our Song of the Day, “West is my Home II” is the politically-charged second song on the album that features the stunning vocals of Seattle's Fetti Nedds which call out "The system trying to murder me/I'm just trying to find my way home/They don't wanna see all us grow/But we stand strong on ten toes." The YouTube description for the video for the song’s prequel, which has a similar message, reads:
“We are being operated under a system designed to generate funding at the cost of our lives. ‘West Is My Home’ is a piece reflecting our reality. A reality where we are constantly drowning in our blood sweat and tears. A reality where we are under attack, and we react out of fear. This is a movement that mentally drains and physically brings pain. Thats why we must fight, because like chains we won’t change if we don’t break free. Thats why we must fight, because our voice is the key.”
Watch the video for “West is my Home,” directed by Jama Abdirahman, below.
