Social Club Misfits and Riley Clemmons collaborated on “Without You,” an easy listen of a hip hop single with lyrics pointing to complete dependence on God. Fern opens the track with, “Sometimes it has to get bad before it gets good. I hate that’s the way it goes. Anxiety on my mind. I hope that it stops. I hate to self-diagnose.”
The song powerfully doesn’t get too powerful. It’s a melancholic reflection on our powerlessness in the world, even in a life where we have access to instant knowledge and fame. Marty continues this when he sing songs, “I don’t want to be so concerned with the Likes that I don’t even know what you like.” In an age of famous Christians “deconstructing” their faith and giant Christian speakers falling into disgrace even after death, it’s a needed reflection that connected with my helplessness. Hopefully, songs like this mark an end to the popularity of self-help Gospel rap about how we’re going to change the world for Christ.