Title: “Kingdom” (feat. Tisha Jackson)
Artist: Orion
From: “Orion II” (December 22, 2024)
Release Date: December 21, 2024
Length: 5:08
Format: CD Single, Digital Download, 7” Single, Weekly Airplay
Recorded: April 2024 – Studio60 Recording Studios, West Hollywood, California, USA
Genre(s): Rap, Hip-Hop, RnB
Label: Tric-Jam Records
Written: April 2024
Writer(s): Brayton Carter, Jadyn Ghalen, Jamal Ghalen, Tisha Jackson
Producer(s): Orion, Young Khalifa
“Kingdom” (feat. Tisha Jackson) is a single by American hip-hop group ‘Orion’ taken from their upcoming sophomore album “Orion II”, it marks the fourth official single to be dropped ahead of the album’s release, following on from “All Accelerator, No Brakes”, “Heart of the Jungle” and “Money Maker” and is the first and only feature to be included on their upcoming album. It’s reported that it was a challenging process for the collaboration to get off the ground due to scheduling issues and was something in the works almost an entire year before both ‘Orion’ and ‘Tisha Jackson’ finally got into a recording studio together, the collaboration did finally come together in April 2024 just over a month after a reported clash backstage and during the after-party between ‘Tisha’ and ‘Jadyn’ at the first ever Universal Music Awards. Of course things were worked out and the RnB superstar duly delivered after speculation signalled that the bad blood between the two parties didn’t show any sign of resolution but it’s thought that things were swiftly resolved behind closed doors between the ‘Jadyn’ and ‘Tisha’ which allowed for them to finally complete the track and see it’s inclusion on their upcoming album.
With the announcement and release of “Kingdom” (feat. Tisha Jackson), fans were given the news that the sophomore album ‘Orion II’ would be released the following day, sending fans into a frenzy online as it had appeared the hope of the album making it’s release before the end of 2024 were unlikely. On a statement on their website which detailed both the album and the single, the statement read;
Quote:“We’re taking back our “Kingdom”!, after over a year in the studio cooking up our latest joint, we’re marking this weekend with three big announcements. First we got the fourth single from the album a track titled “Kingdom” will be dropping and we hooked up with Tisha Jackson on the track. We know ya’ll been talking and speculating about how we don’t fuck with each other, but it’s time to put that shit to bed. Families fight a lot, and we fight a lot but shit, if you can’t put your ego to bed for the greater good then you ain’t ever going to get to where you want to go, real talk. The single, “Kingdom” (feat. Tisha Jackson) will be available worldwide today.”
Their latest track see’s the trio deliver their trademark rap styles over an aggressive and up-tempo hip-hop beat, mixing the blend of their vocals with the smooth RnB vocal styling of Tisha Jackson on the tracks intro, hook and chorus before showing that she can run with the boys by delivering a rap of her own during her own solo verse towards the latter stages of the song.
The track was written and recorded in April 2024 at Studio60 Recording Studios in West Hollywood, California with the music crafted by ‘Orion’ alongside ‘Young Khalifa’ and produced by both the trio and ‘Young Khalifa’ in line with their entire sophomore album. The track was released as a CD Single, Digital Download, 7” Single and made available to Weekly Airplay and Worldwide Streaming via ‘Tric-Jam Records’ on December 21, 2024.
Song Description;The song begins immediately with the vocal delivery of the intro, amidst a backdrop of a hip-hop drum beat as “Tisha” delivers the opening to the song, in a smooth RnB vocal delivery full of soul and melodic quality,
“We light the beacons, we light the flames/Build an army under your name/No surrender, no retreat/We start a revolution from these streets.” which is immediately followed up by “Boa” as he delivers his half of the tracks intro, finding a space between melodic RnB rhythm and hip-hop pacing,
“Acolytes and Anti-Christ’s, we flip the world on its head tonight/No more shelterin’ from the storm/Ain’t no armour for the bombs we’re throwin’/Molotov cocktails thrown around, streets on fire to the sound/Nowhere to hide/The lost will be found/We’re rebuilding our new kingdom from the ground.” which showcases a chemistry between the two as they trade off vocals for the songs intro and sets the table for the songs general tone being one where they liken their world to historical ideologies of kingdoms and battles.
The hip-hop drum beat picks up the tempo as we arrive at the opening verse, setting the tone for the shift from its RnB singing vocal style in the intro into the more traditional lane for “Orion” as “Circuit” tackles the opening verse, continuing the imagery hinted at in the intro as he fires out his verse perfectly on beat, matching it pace for pace as it ramps up in intensity throughout
“We gon’ start a revolution/Streets engulfed, call it friendly fire/We take this from the ashes and we gon’ build an empire/Civil unrest, yeah the natives gettin’ restless/We line up on the streets/Everybody grab your weapons/Gonna destroy what they built with no intentions of keeping it civil/We’ll rebuild from the ashes under a new symbol.” which is the point where the music stops for a very brief second before kicking in once more, amping up the pace and intensity of “Circuits” delivery,
“Brand new generation/We overthrow the last regime/We gon’ destroy what they created/Lit match and gasoline/Streets engulfed, call it friendly fire/We take this from the ashes and we gon’ build an empire/We gon’ build a new thing/Call it what you want/We gon’ start a revolution/Welcome to your brand new gods.” setting up the songs hook and chorus perfectly.
As we arrive at the songs hook and chorus combination we’re transported back to the vibe delivered on the songs intro as “Tisha” and “Boa” combine vocals, in a rarity for “Boa” as he showcases his vocal ability away from the hip-hop and rap styles that he’s known for, with their vocals blending beautifully in harmony together,
“Revolutions in the air/The worlds on fire but we don’t care/Nowhere left for them to run/Tonight we’re taking back our kingdom/Revolutions in the air/The world on fire but we don’t care/Nowhere left for them to run/Tonight we’re taking back our kingdom.” which sets up a brief but memorable chorus between the two,
“Our Kingdom, our kingdom/We’re taking back/Our kingdom/Our kingdom, our kingdom/We’re taking back/Our kingdom.” which provides it’s purpose as a breather moment before the next verse.
The energy of the track ramps up, leading Seemlessly between the combine vocals of “Tisha” and “Boa” into the following solo verse delivery from “Tisha” as she steps into her hip-hop mode that’s been showcased at various stages throughout her career but she doesn’t miss a beat as fires out her lyrics with beautiful assertiveness,
“The Queen’s home/Return to the kingdom/Since ’89 been a don/Brooklyn breed, the stuy’s very own/(Do or die)/By way of the ville/(Never ran, never will)/Rode this beat back in 2012/In ’24 they sampling my shit, all respect kings/(Still the Fiercest One in Town)/I call these niggas by the government/Shout out to Mally, Brayton, Jadyn.” as she makes reference to the rumours of issues between Tisha and the group earlier in 2024,
“You would’ve thought we was raised in the same house the way we beefed at the UMA’s/Nigga I never wanted your spot/(Those my bros the shit been squashed)/Orion II sounding like the Album of the Year/Giving my tenth LP a run for its money/In the industry playing a game of chess while amongst a sea of bitches playing checkers/I been in this shit since I was sixteen/I took so much shit from the game/Brayton, it’s on you/Bring it home!”As the final verse arrives, it’s transition is immediate from “Tisha’s” verse leading into “Bellows”, with the tempo increasing very slightly it follows the same rhythmic structure as “Bellows” offers his own verse to close out the track,
“Yeah, step into my kingdom, see me on the throne/Revolutionary mindset, ain’t doing this alone/Got the streets on fire, bow down, bow down, bow down again/We gon’ rise from the ashes/Like a Phoenix from the motherfuckin’ flames/Heroes and heretics/Saints from the streets/Pioneers and pilgrims/Monsters and the meek/Poets and punks/Searching for the steeple/We gon’ lead em’ into the Cathedral/The same way they used to lead em’ into war/It's a dangerous thing/This business of building idols/We gon’ ride this wave like a motherfuckin’ tidal.” which adds the final flourish on the tracks theme of kingdoms and empires before the songs hook and chorus return once more as the song closes out.
“Kingdom” (feat. Tisha Jackson)Brayton “Bellows” CarterJadyn “Boa” GhalenJamal “Circuit” GhalenTisha JacksonBold = Tisha Jackson chorus /
Italic = Tisha and Jadyn vocals“We light the beacons, we light the flames
Build an army under your name
No surrender, no retreat
We start a revolution from these streetsAcoloytes and Anti-Christ’s, we flip the world on its head tonight
No more shelterin’ from the storm
Ain’t no armour for the bombs we’re throwin’
Molotov cocktails thrown around, streets on fire to the sound
Nowhere to hide
The lost will be found
We’re rebuilding our new kingdom from the groundWe gon’ start a revolution
Streets engulfed, call it friendly fire
We take this from the ashes and we gon’ build an empire
Civil unrest, yeah the natives gettin’ restless
We line up on the streets
Everybody grab your weapons
Gonna destroy what they built with no intentions of keeping it civil
We’ll rebuild from the ashes under a new symbol
Brand new generation
We overthrow the last regime
We gon’ destroy what they created
Lit match and gasoline
Streets engulfed, call it friendly fire
We take this from the ashes and we gon’ build an empire
We gon’ build a new thing
Call it what you want
We gon’ start a revolution
Welcome to your brand new godsRevolutions in the air
The worlds on fire but we don’t care
Nowhere left for them to run
Tonight we’re taking back our kingdom
Revolutions in the air
The world on fire but we don’t care
Nowhere left for them to run
Tonight we’re taking back our kingdomOur Kingdom, our kingdom
We’re taking back
Our kingdom
Our kingdom, our kingdom
We’re taking back
Our kingdomThe Queen’s home
Return to the kingdom
Since ’89 been a don
Brooklyn breed, the stuy’s very own
(Do or die)
By way of the ville
(Never ran, never will)
Rode this beat back in 2012
In ’24 they sampling my shit, all respect kings
(Still the Fiercest One in Town)
I call these niggas by the government
Shout out to Mally, Brayton, Jadyn
You would’ve thought we was raised in the same house the way we beefed at the UMA’s
Nigga I never wanted your spot
(Those my bros the shit been squashed)
Orion II sounding like the Album of the Year
Giving my tenth LP a run for its money
In the industry playing a game of chess while amongst a sea of bitches playing checkers
I been in this shit since I was sixteen
I took so much shit from the game
Brayton, it’s on you, bring it home!Yeah, step into my kingdom, see me on the throne
Revolutionary mindset, ain’t doing this alone
Got the streets on fire, bow down, bow down, bow down again
We gon’ rise from the ashes
Like a Phoenix from the motherfuckin’ flames
Heroes and heretics
Saints from the streets
Pioneers and pilgrims
Monsters and the meek
Poets and punks
Searching for the steeple
We gon’ lead em’ into the Cathedral
The same way they used to lead em’ into war
It's a dangerous thing
This business of building idols
We gon’ ride this wave like a motherfuckin’ tidalRevolutions in the air
The worlds on fire but we don’t care
Nowhere left for them to run
Tonight we’re taking back our kingdom
Revolutions in the air
The world on fire but we don’t care
Nowhere left for them to run
Tonight we’re taking back our kingdomOur Kingdom, our kingdom
We’re taking back
Our kingdom
Our kingdom, our kingdom
We’re taking back
Our kingdom”
Credits & Personnel;
CREDITSProduced by Orion, Young Khalifa
Engineered by Young Khalifa
Mixed by Orion, Young Khalifa, Augustine Francis
Recorded at Studio60 Recording Studios, West Hollywood, California, USA
Production Manager: Imani Jasmine Woods
Mixing: Orion, Young Khalifa, Augustine Francis
PERSONNELBrayton “Bellows” Carter – vocals, lyrics, composition, production, mixing
Jadyn “Boa” Ghalen – vocals, lyrics, composition, production, mixing
Jamal “Circuit” Ghalen – vocals, lyrics, composition, production, mixing
Tisha Jackson – vocals, lyrics
Young Khalifa – production, engineering, mixing
Imani Jasmine Woods – production management
Augustine Francis – mixing
