When the Tonemamas first heard the minimalist piano riff on Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble” we were quite simply amazed. There is something about piano riffs in hip-hop tracks which make us giddy with musical excitement. Then we heard RiffTunes, “The Don” released this month, and all that giddiness came rushing back.
A sublime instrumentation with the aforementioned minimalist, hard-hitting salsa piano riff, a wailing saxophone in the background and what sounds like shakers and Latin-like rhythmic arrangement – our need for a diverse listening experience is satisfied and then satisfied again. What a musically rich song this is! The drive is not only in the music however, the lyrics are all about celebrating your inner champion (no space for classic non-American humility here).
“I’m the don/ I’m the king/ I’m the man/ You’re a pawn” – it’s the kind of lyrics you breathlessly mutter along with while trying to lift heavy weights in the gym…At least thats what the Tonemamas do whenever it’s a full moon on the third Wednesday of the month.
This track is indeed an essential for every playlist encouraging motivation of some sorts – while working out, while cleaning, while running, while playing chess (…because of “the pawn”…fine, perhaps it’s a little intense for the chess club).
Best listened to: Didn’t you read the article??? Get to the gym and blast the song already!
Listen for this moment: 01:05 – when it’s just the beat and RiffTunes’s vocals, the stripped down effect is exactly what we need to appreciate that piano riff when it comes back