fist to mouth

When did being middle-class become living broke AF? What has changed in our world in the last 25 years that the struggle has creeped up the ranks that paycheck-to-paycheck is a normal travesty of people with 'good' jobs? As Senator Bernie Sanders lamented, "It is not good enough to have a liberal elite. I come from the white working class, and I am deeply humiliated that the Democratic Party cannot talk to where I came from,."

In his lyrics for "Now or Never," Crimdella channels the angst of the ignored working man into a battle-hymn to break away from the cycle while Erik Williams' photography captures the poverty we all feel, even if our conspicuous consumption does not reflect.

Now Or Never

Lyrics by CrimDella

Overworked under paid

living in the hunger games

every step I'm one away

every step I'm one

stressing over money made

damn I need a sunny day

over worked, underpaid

Welcome to the city skinny niggaz die and resurrect
for the pride that they protect
sick and tired of the debt
like a closet full of nikes steady living check to check
ordered food afraid to check the check
watching every step/
Steady Tippy Toeing round the BS
us against the world that's a VS
since PS1 felt like a reject
their ain't no more reset buttons
so I'm stepping on the gas
with my music on blast
If I fly off the road, hope I land in the sky
Hope I float into space, hope I turn to a star
Hope I turn to a God, if I wasn't already
either you making the cut or you get cut to confetti
Resonate with your spirit, hope you never forget me
if you ever respected me
you won't see me as enemy
see we use to be kings, now our position is lost
we have a right to throne, take it no matter the cost

Feeling like my back's against the wall
No shame in me not afraid to fall
Nay sayer, nay sayer Nay sayer they say no more
Shut em up
cant tell me nothing
cuz I'm wanting something
can I want this forever
is it now or never?
It's your time now,
(And its now or never)
Don't look back Now
(And its now or never)
It's your time now,
(And its now or never)
Don't look back Now
(And its now or never)

It's now or never never never been my style
Though I feel I'm being targeted by everything around
if I'm flying and my niggaz can't I'll levitate the ground
feel that rumbling under feet that's cuz I'm demonstrating now
demolition
them will listen
I will not accept this prison
I say that with emphasism
me and you got separate visions
blinders on for sideline players with advice for me
it's likely, that it should be that you should take advice from me
said fuck the beef and took my people out for bison meat
needed something different cuz this cycle ain't enticing me
a couple years ago I got text from a friend and it
read let's hang out Thursday and said man lets reschedule it
told him maybe later, but later never came
he fell off of his roof while he was smoking in the rain
so now there's no more later's only now
hold it down
wonder if I hung out wit Em maybe he'd still be around

I been running through the city
with my homies by my side
I say bury me in gold
but baby know that I'm alive
So you'll slowly get to see,
All of the things black god's are made of
Niggaz be talking like they major
But ho when we walk in show that paper

so now there's no more later's only now
hold it down
wonder if I hung out wit Em maybe he'd still be around
only now, no more beating round the burning bush I see the signs
see it's time
look at constellations watch them realign
roaming through the jungle during feeding time