This gorgeous video was created by Elle Crits
Voices In My Mind
To hear our latest piece of original music, click here!
inside the nein
INSIDE THE NEIN, based on the album/film INSIDE and the D&D show Critical Role, is a series of vignettes following the Mighty Nein through important moments during Campaign Two. Our project was created through the hard work of many producers, writers, singers, musicians, and artists in the Critical Role community.
This musical, unlike our previous long form works, does not follow one arc within the Mighty Nein’s story, but rather pulls from important character and story beats throughout all of Campaign Two. We recommend a passing familiarity with the overarching story and characters from Campaign Two in order to fully understand the references we are making, but we have no doubt that a casual fan will still enjoy many moments of our album.
Love from all of us and Merry Critmas
Voices In My Mind
Zuala, Molly, Obann, Kord, Beau. Thoughts that compete, memories that linger. Loss is a land we must visit in our turn, but given enough time, there is hope to reside elsewhere.
The Cantata is proud to present a collaboration between songwriter Meany Vizzini and producer/guitarist Spencer Smith featuring the vocal talents of Megami. Perhaps a spiritual successor to our song, I Wear The Mask, this song dives deep into Yasha's psyche and explores her remorse, her rage, and her redemption.
Lyrics:
[YASHA]
Your voice
I hear it through the wind and in the rain
It echoes in my bones and in my shame
In my shame, you speak
Familiar, but can never be the same
I hear your spectre calling out my name
Oh, my name
And the voice is in my mind
In a place that’s hard to fight / In a places that's hard to find
And it seems to me
There’s a shackle constricted in my soul
In my soul I cannot go
Your voice
It echoes every hope I ever yearned
It beckons to believe a better world
Oh, the world you speak
It flowers every color that you wear
A flower crushed and emptied in my care
In my care
And your voice is in my mind
In a place that’s hard to fight / In a places that's hard to find
But it seems to me
There’s a shackle constricted in my soul
In my soul I cannot go
Your voice
It worms it’s way into my ev’ry thought
Reminds me what I am when I am not
You speak
And, terrified, I fail to stop my hand
I watch her light escape at your command
And the voice is in my mind / The voices in my mind
In a place that’s hard to fight
And it seems to me
There’s a shackle constricted in my soul
In my soul I cannot go
When everyone you trust enough
To open up, is gone
When everyone you open up to
Needs you to move on
It’s suffocating
When every day’s a risk
To unforget the ones you lost
When every joy is tempered
By inevitable cost
It’s heartbreaking
It’s soul-taking
Your voice
It thunders through the wind and in the rain
It beckons me to fight to start again
Start again, you speak
I struggle to be worthy of your call
But still I am too weak to stop my fall
Oh, my fall
And the voice is in my mind
In a place that’s hard to fight / In a places that's hard to find
But it seems to me
There’s a shackle constricted in my soul
In my soul-
Your voice
It fights the ghosts to prove I’m not a slave
I find that I am home, and I am safe
I am safe, you speak
And in this newfound strength I find a goal
It stirs within my bones and in my soul
In my soul
The voice is in my mind / The voices in my mind
In a place that’s hard to fight / In a places that's hard to find
But it seems to me
There’s a shackle that’s slipping in my soul
In my soul
Yes, the voice is in my mind / The voices in my mind
In a place that’s hard to fight / In a places that's hard to find
And it seems to me
There’s a shackle that’s breaking in my soul
In my soul I have to go
I have to go
I have to go
I have to go
I have to go
Lyrics, melody, and harmonies by Meany Vizzini
Vocals by Megami
Instruments, harmonies and production by Spencer Smith
Production and harmonies by Will Crosswait
Artwork by Lucy Alexander
If you're in a position to donate to charity, we'd love to encourage you to consider donating to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The ICRC directs and coordinates emergency relief efforts and is the only organization authorized by the Geneva Convention to visit prisoners of war. The ICRC also provides emergency food, water and medical help, searches for missing people, and promotes, monitors, and develops international humanitarian law.
You can donate to their cause here
Note: The ICRC is NOT the same as the American Red Cross. U.S. taxpayers who donate to the American Red Cross may receive a charitable gift tax deduction that is not available for donations to the International Federation or ICRC. AIP only rates U.S. based groups, such as the American Red Cross, that follow U.S. financial reporting rules. AIP does not rate the Geneva, Switzerland based International Federation or ICRC.
Our music is inspired by - but not affiliated with - Critical Role
In December 2021, The Cantata Pansophical is hosting another virtual concert series featuring music and conversations with Critical Role fan musicians. As a part of this series, we are continuing to raise money for Amnesty International. You can find all of the public rewards for this charity fundraiser here, as well as links to all three days of the live stream.
Thank you again to all of the amazing artists who helped put this project project together, as well as @JuleStoryteller for the gorgeous posters and album art.
Charity Rewards
Thank you so much to all of our donors! Thanks to your generosity, anyone who wants to listen to our mp3 downloads and full length interviews can! Merry Critmas one and all!
A note on our Critmas playlists - we’re working on getting an Apple Music version up and running asap - I’ll update this as soon as we make it happen. For now, we’ve got versions on Spotify and Youtube
Demigod Vecna's
Sing-Along Stream
Demigod Vecna’s Sing-Along Stream, based on the musical Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog and the D&D show Critical Role, parallels the tale of Vox Machina during the final arc of Critical Role’s Campaign One. Our project was created by a secret conclave of writers, singers, musicians, and artists in the Critical Role community.
This musical picks up where our Exandrian Musical and Doty, Take This Down musicals left off, but this time, the party’s villains are the stars of the show! Sing along as Sylas and Delilah Briarwood, Vecna the Ascended, and even more surprise enemies struggle against the pesky Vox Machina.
Will the Briarwoods succeed in bringing Vecna back from beyond? Can Vecna ascend to godhood? How many members of Vox Machina will they be able to kill?
Happy Halloween!
DOTY, TAKE THIS DOWN
Doty, Take This Down is a fan tribute based on the musical Dear Evan Hansen and the D&D streaming show Critical Role.
This project was made, with a lot of love, by fans of CR from around the world. As part of this project we also wanted to draw attention and give support to some specific charities.
We’ve chosen to support the Trevor Project – a national 24-hour, toll free confidential suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth. The LGBTQ community and young people are groups that experience higher risks of suicide, making crisis intervention and suicide prevention a needed resource for LGBTQ youth.
Dear Evan Hansen deals with, among other things, teen suicide and the Trevor Project partnered with DEH. Even though Doty, Take This Down doesn’t deal with the same topics, it does deal with sexuality, self discovery, and acceptance. These are all themes that are closely tied to the work of the Trevor Project.
If you’re able, we’d love for you to consider donating to their cause or find out more about what they do.
To continue to our musical -
“It’s dangerous to go alone”
Take This seeks to inform the gaming community about mental health issues, to provide education about mental disorders and mental illness prevention, and to reduce the stigma of mental illness.
Many Critters have found table top gaming through Critical Role, and others have found new communities and new avenues for their table top gaming. Through that, many have discovered or reaffirmed the ability of games to influence and learn. The way we can use table top gaming to affect mental health is still one that’s being explored, and “Take This” is an organization that is actively working in that space to not only find more ways to make games inclusive, but to find ways they can be used to make life better.
Obviously, this project doesn’t exist without Critical Role. Even our charity highlights are, in a way, following the example of the “nerdy-ass voice actors” that are the inspiration of the community that spawned Doty, Take This Down. So, it’s only appropriate that we mention the charity foundation started by the Critical Role crew.
The CR Foundation has the simple mission statement: “To leave the world better than we found it”. If you’d like to check out what they’re currently up to, you can visit the site and/or donate.
*Publisher’s Note:
At the Cantata Pansophical, we personally vet any charity we draw attention to; this process includes tools like Charity Navigator, a watchdog group for charitable spending. While the Trevor Project has a four star rating on Charity Navigator, Take This and the Critical Role Foundation are too new/small to have received a rating yet. We haven’t found any issues with either organization in our research as of June 2021, but we encourage donors to look into any charity they support.
Ah, still scrolling, eh? Well, have another CHARITY DONATION LINK!!!!
DOTY, TAKE THIS DOWN
Doty, Take This Down is a fan tribute based on the musical Dear Evan Hansen and the D&D streaming show Critical Role.
This project follows the story of Taryon Darrington during Critical Role’s Campaign One and was created with the love and hard work of dozens of writers, singers, musicians, and artists in the Critical Role community.
The full musical includes narration telling the entire tale of Tary and his adventuring party and bonus songs adapted from the original musical - a total of fifty tracks, which can all be downloaded from our website here, along with our musical’s Book containing lyrics, artwork, and cast information.
The official Doty, Take This Down album includes a shorter selection of music and focuses more on Tary’s character arc in Critical Role’s story. This album can be streamed/downloaded directly here as well as on our Youtube channel.
Doty, Take This Down Album
Full Musical
Dear Listener,
We’ve got lots of ways for you to listen to this project; if you’d like to download the mp3 files, album art, and lyrics/credits booklets, these are all available here. Zip files for both the full musical and the album are available above, and mirrors in case those download links go down are available here: MIRROR LINK
Feel free to shoot me an email at willcrosswait@gmail.com if any of these links go down, and I’ll get them back up ASAP.
If you enjoy this project, please consider donating to The Trevor Project or one of our other favorite charities if you have the means.
Love and blessings,
Will Crosswait
PS: Our fearless showrunner, Critical Scroll, has also created some wonderful lyric videos for selected songs from our full musical - check them out below!
Molly's Rules: The MIXtape
Welcome to the Show
The introduction to our musical, where we meet our main characters. Runs in parallel with the first episode of Critical Role Campaign 2!
I Wear the Mask
The song that got the wheels spinning on this project - in which we hear the internal monologues of many of the Mighty Nein as they struggle with their inner demons and muse on the faces they wear in front of each other and themselves. (Acoustic version here)
Molly’s Rules
Molly’s response to I Wear the Mask; some people are just WAY too into their feelings…
Magicshop quartet
Pumat Sol. Barbershop quartet. ‘Nuff said.
Beau Unmasked
Beau reflects on a late night conversation
Better
A reunion and a goodbye; some final words before the musical comes to a close
Better
The finale of our demo musical, as the party return to the place they left Molly's coat and Yasha wakes up...
Lyrics:
YASHA:
…
I’m not doing this right now...
NOTT:
I used to steal from happy folks
But he turned me from that path
CALEB:
He called us out, but not too loud
So shine bright, Circus Man
JESTER:
Whatever town that we’d pass through
He caught up in his dance
FJORD:
Although we robbed and killed and spied
We left them in good hands
ALL:
So let this staff mark the place
Where you spat in the face
Of the tyrants and thieves of this land
And let your coat catch the wind
As it rises again
With the purpose you’ve passed to your family
BEAU:
I hated Molly from the start
Thought he was full of...
...shite?
He seemed to me a charlatan
For brighter eyes than mine
But we took tea not long ago
And I think I understand
Why he was and what he was
A crazy fucking man
And now I think I know my path
I’m finally aligned
Through all the places we go now
We’ll leave
Some good behind
ALL:
So let this staff mark the place
Where you spat in the face
Of the tyrants and thieves of this land
And let your coat catch the wind
As it stirs us again
With the course that you’ve set for your
family
MOLLY:
I see you as a golden age
Of pricks I’ve wandered near
Through every lie I’ve told for you
I’ve always been sincere
Now I must leave my friends although
They’re battered and they’re torn
I leave them in good company
And better than before
Beau Unmasked
In this response to our song, I Wear The Mask, Beau muses over the path she has walked so far and the choices Molly has left her with.
Lyrics:
BEAU:
Ever since I was a child, I wasn’t wanted
Sought my father’s eye
And fought him to arrive where I was wanted
By the law and by
A woman who defined all that I wanted
My partner in crime
He crushed her life when we were caught and
Maybe that is why
I hustle toward the goal
Of wrestling control
Back from the imbeciles who show that
Those below them are their doormats
By the nascent use of tyranny
Of hate, abuse, and bigotry
The surest way you’re losing me
Is choosing your hypocrisy
See, “All the world’s a stage,”
And life is just a masquerade
The players have their ways
Of painting on a passing face
But take a look backstage
They’re facing frantic costume changes
So, the name of the game is
Makin’ their nakedness famous
Finding connections
I live and breathe in secrecy
A head full of questions,
‘Cause knowledge is my currency
I’m learning my lessons
Like how you gonna unmask me?
You want me to crack, I’m sending it back,
like Agatha’s magic, I’m the one doin’ the askin’
Hide it away!
Don’t show your weakness
Who can say
If I am honest?
The key to my ascendancy
Is mastering opacity
It’s diggin’ more dirt on you
Than you can stick on me
So I wear a mask
Hidden in plain view
What you ask
I’ll just turn back on you
So I wear the mask...
Wait
Wait -
Does this mean?
Could it be that
In all of my schemin’ and dreamin’ of
finally bringin’ the heat to the man
Am I just mannin’ up?
I mean, I’m gainin’ esteem and I’m fleein’
the scene when the bleedin’ has come from my hand
The way it’s standin’ up it seems
The closer I get to my goal
The more collateral I’m leavin’
Am I really bringing freedom
Or becoming the demon I wanna see defeated?
It’s hittin’ me ‘cuz
Molly was never a votary of authority
Or me
Is that connected?
‘Cuz looking at him I see my
Knack to attack the bourgeoisie
Wholly reflected
But while I keep myself inside
Molly would open wide
Every single time
Woven in his lies
Were more sides than a cat’s lives
And more faces than a freakin’ dodecahedron
So manipulative!
Drivin’ me insane
Tryna find his game
Tryna figure why he’s so secretive?
Sussing out the long range plan
Of the long reign man
Took me so long to understand
He only had two aims:
To give the people chaos they wanna see
And making Molly’s mockery of those who
try to pin him down
That’s how he tackled every single town
And as we traveled, joy would follow him around
I kinda want that
Do y’all remember he said
He left every town better than he found it?
He was arrogant, but he was right
Even in his scams, he made people feel good or special
I’ve deliberately left places worse because
I felt like it
Because I could
And I’m not doing that again.
I’m gonna take baby steps toward the whole
“leaving the town better” thing
It’s the least I can do for him
I gotta start choosing who I focus on taking down
And I’m coming for you, Lorenzo
Cuz I feel like I
Wanna leave a better world behind, he
Fought to leave a better dream behind and
Called us out when we were all disguised
Taught us to preserve the good inside, and
Watchin’ him I think I’ve changed my mind, like
All this time I’ve just been running blind, I
Gotta leave a better world behind, I-
MOLLY:
I got to leave a better world behind
Molly's Rules
The titular track off our demo musical, Molly's Rules, features our catalyst for chaos pontificating about his moral code.
Lyrics:
MOLLY:
If you want to know how
I can breeze through this life
Keeping so collected and so cool
The truth is that it’s simple;
Something easy, something light
Just keep in mind a handful of these rules
So as you travel on this long and winding road
There’s just a couple things that you should know…
Don’t let another person pay
while your purse is the plumper
If they insist and bend your wrist,
that still is not a stumper
If you’re quick,
then you can stick
a little coin back in their hoard
And leave each place a little
better than before
Now come along with me!
JESTER:
Where are we going?
MOLLY:
To Zadash, of course!
If you happen on a bandit, and you’re strong enough to stand it,
It’d be crass to simply clamor for revenge
I like you, Trevor, but this plan just wasn’t clever
There are many better jobs out in the hedge!
Take your men on a walk, and we promise not to talk
Or even think to try and settle up the score
And leave each place a little better than before
FJORD:
We’re just gonna let them go?
They tried to rob us!
MOLLY:
The operative word here being “tried”
When all it is you know just isn’t clear enough
My humblest philosophies might clear it up
And since these simple stratagems might cheer you up
If it’ll help, then I can tell a little more!
If you plan to rob a man then just be sure to understand well
Both the manner of his stature and his mood
And if you can’t surmise it or if they end up disguising it
It’s better to go off and try and find another dude
Try and con the evil and don’t steal from happy people
If you doubt it, you can scout it to be sure
And leave each place a little better than before
And if there’s a rule here
And you think it’s rather clear
Then I’ll just have to clarify that point of view
Each rule has its exception
With a little introspection
You can find the proper path to follow through
And if you love everybody
And I mean LOVE everybody!
You might make yourself a couple rules more
Just leave each place a little lighter
NOTT:
Leave each place a little nicer!
COMPANY:
Leave each place a little brighter than be-
-FORE!
MOLLY:
Leave each place a little better than before
Welcome to the Show
The opening number for our demo musical, Molly's Rules - in which we meet our cast of characters, the Mighty Nein!
Lyrics:
NARRATOR:
If you hush, you can hear them rushing into town
They’re a tactless, hapless band from all
around
Made of convicts, rebels, miscreants, and
Music and lyrics by Meany Vizzini and Will Crosswait
Performed by Meany Vizzini, Rochelle Ibarra, and Will Crosswait
Editing and production by Will Crosswait
Music Consultants: Aiden Chan, Mitch Crosswait, Danita Gilbert, Nathan Ramey, Hunter Rogerson, Spencer Smith
Artwork by @DrawingJule
clowns
They won’t do much to harm you if you keep
your noses down
They are imperfect people, same as me or you
They are not seeking evil, only something
new
To write a separate sequel from the hitherto
They’re always up to something, but they
rarely think it through
Without the touch of fate, the half of them
would have been dead
They’re wiping problems off their plate;
accountability they dread
They may be bound for something great, but
for the present find instead:
For every single skill, they have an issue
of the head
For every single skill they have a -
COMPANY:
Who do you think you are?
Who do you think you are?
Who do you think you-
JESTER:
Fjord, you were so brave and strong fighting
that snake thing.
FJORD:
Well thanks, Jester.
Y’know, snakes can be tricky, but I don’t
mind dealing with ‘em.
BEAU:
Eh, they're not really my thing.
JESTER:
Ooh, Beau!
Beau!
How much silver did I get?
BEAU:
Seven.
JESTER:
Whooo!
NARRATOR:
It’s a rush to travel far from where you're born
Try to leave your coin purse fatter than before
So it is with Jester, Beauregard and Fjord
And if it gets too messy, they can move to
the next shore
And if it gets too heavy they can move along
once more
COMPANY:
Who do you think you are?
We are the coats we borrow
Who do you think you are?
When tossed upon the wind
Who do you think you-
CALEB:
See, Nott, those people are so flashy
no one will even notice us.
NOTT:
I hope you’re right, Caleb.
We could use a better day than yesterday.
CALEB:
Oh no, the blue one is coming over here.
JESTER:
Hi! I’m Jester!
NOTT:
Don’t move. Tieflings can only see movement.
JESTER:
It's very true... But I can hear you...
CALEB:
Hello, my name is Caleb Widogast.
JESTER:
You should take a bath!
LIAM:
*sigh*
NARRATOR:
When you trust someone, it’s
hard to let them go
Even when it’s Nott the best of status quos
Still a partner’s better than being alone
And maybe it’d be safer if this partnership
could grow
Perhaps for Nott and Caleb, they could find
a way to-
NOTT:
I wear a mask!
CALEB:
Put that back on; you’re drunk again
NOTT:
It’s itchy… Like my fingers…
BEAU:
Are you a goblin?
JESTER:
Ooo! That’s pretty great!
NOTT:
I’m a little girl!
NARRATOR:
And if you hush you can hear them rushing into town
They’re a tactless, hapless band from all
around
And they haven’t yet a clue what they have
found
For every coin they carry they’ve an issue
to surmount
For every coin they carry they’ve an-
MOLLY:
Well, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen
a group of people more in need of a good time
COMPANY:
Who do you think you-?
MOLLY:
I see the inner struggle written
all over your face
COMPANY:
I wear the-
MOLLY:
Life has dealt your hand, but you have
yet to see the
Fool of Swords!
Shuffle up your expectations of what can be
real!
Tonight you’ll find that I’m the one
With whom you'll have to deal
I’ll show you a new kind of awesome
A different rush
COMPANY:
Leave this place a little-
MOLLY:
Along with my co-council, Yasha -
...
She doesn’t talk much!
But take it from the two of us
who know your plight so well:
Steel your loins and heed our call
Our troupe’s about to lead you all
Tonight we’re gonna see you in the
MOLLY (COMPANY):
Circus! (Leave behind your troubles)
(and your worries for a while!)
Welcome to the Show!
(Pause a moment and release your inner juvenile!)
What could go wrong?
(Take up a seat and celebrate our epicurean style!)
This is the fabled starting scene-
This is the part we dare to dream!
So follow me -
And welcome to the…
Show!
COMPANY:
Who do you think you are?
Magicshop Quartet
The first single off our upcoming EP - Molly's Rules. What, you think we're gonna pitch a Mighty Nein musical and NOT include a Pumat Sol barbershop quartet?
Lyrics:
PUMAT: Well, hello there and
welcome to the Invulnerable Vagrant
My name is Pumat
CALEB: Oh, there are four of you...
Composed and performed by Meany Vizzini
Edited and produced by Will Crosswait
Artwork by @DrawingJule
Uh, I am Caleb Widogast
and I am looking for some paper
PUMAT: Well, hello
Caleb (Hello Caleb!)
And as you can plainly see
We’re a magical emporium
Complete from A to Z
We have potions, ink, and paper
But we ask respectfully
Our establishment’s decorium
Expects you to be clean
(*blows*)
We have a lot of magic merchandise
For wizardry and such
And compared to risking life and limb
It will not cost you much
It’s the type of rich assortment
Dirty hands should never touch
When you walk into our store
Though we have quite a few things for ya
Our decorium expects you to be clean
Just drop a
Little bit of coin here, we can
Make you who you want to be, we’ve
All the rich enhancements anyone could ever dream to see and
All of this made possible by
Pumat Prime, that’s me
PUMATS: (partially)
(And the rest of us are courtesy of the Assembly)
CALEB: Uh...
PUMAT:
Well, hello Caleb
(Well, hello there!)
And as we’ve already said,
We’re a magical emporium
Complete from A to Zed
We have bracers, swords, and paper
But we ask you not to shed
When you walk into our store
Though we have quite a few things for ya
Our decorium expects -
Respectfully requests!
Our decorium expects you to be clean
Oh, to be clean
*Well hello there!*
An acoustic version of our song, written by Meany Vizzini and originally performed by Vizzini, Ginny Di, Critical Bard, and Rochelle Ibarra. In a world where I wasn't in charge of the Critical Concert, this is what I might have submitted!
Lyrics:
Tough guys
Grinning through their snake eyes
Wanting to be sure I
Know I’m not welcome here
Follow
Work to blend into the shadows
Emulate the ones who don’t show
The extent of their fear
Crippled by the fetters of a foreign race
Shackled by the terror of a horrid face
Summed up as a symbol of malignancy
The source and aim of bigotry
The Nott-becoming part of me
Sheltered by the darkness sneaking out of sight
Haunted by reflections of the dawning light
Comfort finding only when I’m spirited
Encouraged by escape to move ahead
So hide it away
Don’t show your weakness
You cannot stay
If you are honest
Sure, they’ll pretend to be your friend
Until they find your secret and
They figure out exactly where to strike
So I wear a mask
Hidden in plain view
What you don’t ask
Ain’t gonna hurt you
So I wear the mask
Of who I’d rather be
Lonely
I am always feeling lonely
Oh, I have to be the only one
Who’s stuck in this hell
Happy
I just want them to be happy
Keep pretending and they won’t see
The sadness that you hide so well
Hide it away
Don’t show your weakness
No one will stay
If you are honest
Oh sure, they’ll pretend to be your friend
Until they see your sadness and
They figure out it isn’t worth their time
So I wear a mask
Hidden in plain view
What you don’t ask
Ain’t gonna hurt you
So I wear the mask
Of what you want to believe
Of who I’d rather be
Heckled by the promise of a brighter past
Ruined by the knowledge singeing it to ash
Caught up in a wave of nationality
Of losing my humanity
The guillotine was pulled by me
Set on a track
Can’t take it back
One thing defining my life as it’s starting to crack
Where to begin?
Hatin' within
Too much to swallow, I’m hollow and wallowing in all my sin
Finding my mind is gone crawlin'
So spineless and bawlin'
And joinin' the Nein is appallin',
Pretendin' it’s fine, oh the gall when
My kin who have fallen are callin' my name
Hide it away
Don’t show your weakness
No one can stay
Let’s just be honest
Oh ja, you’ll pretend to be their friend
Until they find your story and
They figure out exactly who you are
So I wear a mask
Hidden in plain view
What they don’t ask
Ain’t gonna hurt you
Now I wear the mask
Of what I want to believe
In late October 2020, The Cantata Pansophical hosted a virtual concert series featuring music and conversations with Critical Role fan musicians. As a part of this series, we raised more than $7,500 for Amnesty International. You can find all of the public rewards for this charity fundraiser here, as well as links to all three days of the live stream.
An enormous thank you to all the wonderful artists involved in the creation of this project, and especially @DrawingJule for her gorgeous posters and album art.
The mask is coming off! In this Exandrian MIXtape entry, Rochelle Ibarra ("I Wear the Mask) and Danny Dourado ("Mollymauk vs Caleb - ULTIMATE RAP BATTLE") reprise their roles as early campaign Nott and Caleb, as the motley duo look to take destiny into their own hands.
Written by Meany Vizzini (@MeanyVizzini) and Amyownfie (@amyownfie)
Artwork by Scott Maitland, Will Crosswait, and Lorgnit
Nott performed by Rochelle Ibarra (@roroibarra, roro_ibarra on Instagram)
Caleb performed by Danny Dourado (@Rapping_Bard)
Production by Will Crosswait (@WillCrosswait, willxwait on Instagram)
If you're in a position to donate to charity, we would love to encourage anyone who enjoys our work to donate to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
NOTT Ayo, pick locks, quick shots, get rocks, eat tots
Get it right, ‘cause you only get one shot
Advice from a horde matron to a young Nott
The hatin’ is blatant, so meticulously taught
No wonder “fair races” tell us we’re born to be hellish
Before I get in a rejoinder, they join her to sell us
That they gon’ end up either perish to goblins or fell us,
So it’s fair they just wanna quell us
That’s why I hustle hella hard, never celebrate a getaway
That’ll be the day I gonna fin’ly show my giveaway
I decline to be defined or throw my shot away
Or be put down as just another one to rot away,
So I’m apt to be frenetic, I’m hatin’ my genetics
If I’ve a shot to reverse my lot I cannot regret it
My point of destination’s different from where I was headed
‘Cause Caleb’s got the potential to get it, one shot!
Well, they said ready or Nott, you best be listenin’ to orders
Losin’ my (breath), they decided to give me torture
They said if we can’t break ‘em, you turn ‘em into informers
But once I get ‘em to spill it, the killin’s around the corner
Yeza was his name - the halfling man, from before
Our chemistry was legend’ry, he drove me to be bolder and
Break off, take off and shake off my borders
To give up giving up and square up my shoulders
Must admit, was timid, was kind of, um
Shier as a hider with this fire and desire to be lighter
As a stealth private eye-r with my eye on all that shines
I surprise allies, a pint-size fighter!
My Nein are mighty guys, I might survive minor
Jailbreaks to break out jails in my mind
Be cunning, becoming who you want, I mean it!
I mean you fin’ly got one shot, take it, don’t leave it!
CALEB
Eyes up! If the green is all they sees, they size up
Soon the guard all yell SEIZE, panic flies up
Do you wonder why she’s gotta guise up?
When are folks like me and you gonna wise up?
Ev’ry city, ev’ry town we analyze up
Living scared they look down and demonize us
She ain’t got no other choice but humanize up
Eyes up!
Throughout my travels and journeys through life I’ve been searchin’
And been learnin’ to be a timeless person to display how determined I get
When I’m yearnin’ inside I feel that fire that’s burnin’
Though my crime is still certain, I fight while I’m hurtin’
I lost my mind, their cries are my burden
And the shame from my blight only worsen
Tryna stifle the light that ignited me first an’
Just when I find it’s not workin’
I find Nott, and she’ll help me take my one shot I got to accomplish my purpose
Now I build again to me utterin’ backstory mulligan
Readin’ beyond covers, now I’m discoverin’
Secret recoverin’, we in the guts again, Mighty Nein rushin’ in
Power uncoverin’, feelin’ the hunger an’ feedin’ the lust to win
See, I’ve been patiently waitin’ for the moment
To rise up again, that’s the reason I bolted
As long as I’m still standin’, with the rest of them holdin’,
Give me my one chance to alter time an’ properly mold it