I’ve had my eye on producer August Fanon’s feed ever since I heard him lace up Mach-Hommy’s Haitian Body Odor album with some serious fuego. This new song “Luck of the Draw” he produced for Jalal Saleem—a New York-based artist I am just being introduced to for the first time here—is yet another example of why Fanon is one of my favorite producers out right now. As for Jalal Saleem, well, dude is kinda nice with the pen. He included his lyrics in the Soundcloud post, too—which I respect—so press play and read along below.

Sound off the war horns
To be warned 
Abandoned and Forlorn
taught Folklore 
these no hearts 
all cohorts they bogart 
Life a sojourn 
Kept it 20 plus Fourscore 
I’m scorching I could go for more 
But whose keeping score 
who ever said it was 
luck of the draw? 
burn the roof to floor that’s for sure 
Growth pattern like a spore 
Fire melt the insides just like a s’mores 
One day death will come
knocking at your doors 
I’m just looking forward
This 64 
There’s no running away 
will they mourn and give praise
Throw a parade and say thanks 
Or dance on your grave ?
Not the way 
they do
In New Orleans  …
Most stick to their core values 
I stay malleable
single handily 
Lay waste to ya whole battalion 
They were careless 
Made assumptions by outward appearance 
The threat wasn’t apparent 
I took advantage 
Too advanced I had to bring it backward 
They lallygagging… 
Embody Valiance
This more salient 
Out of body but in bodying in all areas
The name means peace 
The more the merrier
I’m Like the sound that broke the barrier 
Under pressure I show my character 
Why fight fire with fire
 I couldn’t say 
that only grows the flame
I’ll find the opening 
I’ll use my weaknesses against the strengths 
I never aim
I close my eyes and let it ring
I let my arrows find their way 
Remain relentless 
Make it look
Effortless
Pour it on these schmendricks 
insult intelligences
Like dumb fucks just not getting it 
They thick headed and non receptive 
I feel the blood pumping 
 inside my veins and arteries 
 I can sense how it sustains 
My very being how every cell works in harmony 
neurons firing at lighting rates 
Each time I think 
I smelt the fear I had to push the pace
mouth was filled with a metallic taste 
It was the thrill that washed away my pain
Out on my feet 
My will kept me awake 
It held the weight…

*BONUS* Check out this new August Fanon 10-minute beat tape. The first beat is crazy.