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‘Kings’ Is the Uplifting Anthem Men Need Right Now
Producer Kosine joins forces with Idris Elba to help Black men push through difficult times
“This isn’t a single; this is audio healing,” Marcos “Kosine” Palacios tells me of his new song, “Kings.” “You can put this song on and just breathe through stress.”
As half of Grammy-nominated duo, Da Internz, Kosine produced hits like Rihanna’s “Birthday Cake,” Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda,” Big Sean’s “Dance,” and most recently, Kelly Rowland’s “Coffee.” “Kings,” though, represents a departure, both in tone and intent: The soul-rap ballad, which features Idris Elba, functions as an anthem for Black men in these uncertain times.
“Kings are falling every day,” sings Kosine, “and kings are rising just the same.” Given the state of the world — the Covid-19 pandemic and its disproportionate impact on Black and Brown folks, the lynching-style murder of Georgia resident Ahmaud Arbery, the massive socioeconomic fallout — an otherwise simple lyric takes on tragic resonance.
“As Black men, we are going to struggle. But we also have to figure ourselves out right now. Everyone doesn’t get to survive times like these.”
