Released: 2021
“Pick Up The Pace” by Big K.R.I.T. is the epitome of a motivational anthem, a sonic groove that pulsates with the relentless pursuit of excellence. K.R.I.T. uses the metaphor of a baseball game to embody his grind in the music industry, exuding confidence and resilience in every line, making it clear that he’s about chasing success, accumulating wealth, and refusing to be stopped in his tracks.
The song’s hook, “Pick up the pace, I’m ’bout to chase, Money in case, Clean the base”, is potent with symbolism. Picking up the pace suggests urgency, the need to chase after dreams and achieve goals. The money in the case can be read as an emblem of the successes he’s chasing, while cleaning the base suggests perfect execution, completing tasks and overcoming obstacles with precision and skill.
Diving into the first verse, K.R.I.T. steps up his lyrical game, dropping lines full of baseball and music industry metaphors. “Step on the deck, put in the stretch, Moment of truth, playing it cool, wipe off the sweat”, paints a vivid picture of an artist preparing to lay down a killer verse, akin to a pitcher on the mound. Positions like “king on the throne” and “Home run, I’m gone and by the opponent, show ’em who next”, express his assertiveness in the game – he sees himself as a leader, an unstoppable force.
As the verse progresses, he compares himself to legends, “Like Deion, I’m prime time”, referring to multi-sport superstar Deion Sanders. This comparison shows K.R.I.T.’s aspiration to excel in multiple fields, just as Sanders did in football and baseball. The line “Golden glove with a triple crown” is another assertion of his supremacy. In baseball, a player earning a Golden Glove and Triple Crown is a testament to their exceptional performance and versatility – a clear parallel to K.R.I.T.’s musical prowess.
In the song’s bridge, he chants, “Gotta call void if you got it, Ain’t no stopping on the go”. This line reiterates his mantra of unstoppable momentum, adding a brisk and urgent tone to the track. Reflecting on his career, K.R.I.T. knows that stagnation leads to irrelevance, hence why he emphasizes the importance of keeping the hustle alive.
Moving on to the second verse, K.R.I.T. continues his baseball metaphor while expressing his resilience and superiority, “Two seam ain’t enough, Full tied team is us”. He uses references like “Man on first, on second, on third I’ma have to clean it up” to express his sense of responsibility, representing his role in the music industry to put on a stellar performance, delivering high-quality tunes to his audience.
“I done went yard, that ball gone, an alien beamed it up. Max contract they want me back, I’ll have to green it up,” he raps. This is a proclamation of his hard work paying off, a representation of his breakthroughs and the demand for his talent in the industry. The “alien beamed it up” metaphor is a clever touch, emphasizing the astonishing impact of his achievements, as if it’s beyond human comprehension.
“Been waitin’ a while, really feel down, Worried ’bout y’all, it’s just my time,” captures his journey in the industry, acknowledging the struggles, doubts, and the patience it took to reach this point. It conveys his refusal to buckle under pressure and his unwavering focus on his own path.
The line “This what a ring like if you missed out, better press rewind,” signifies that his achievements are like championship rings, and if you’ve missed his rise to success, you’d better revisit his earlier work to understand his journey.
In summary, “Pick Up The Pace” is a motivational manifesto from Big K.R.I.T., layered with complex baseball metaphors that parallel his journey in the music industry. It encapsulates K.R.I.T.’s relentless hustle, his pursuit of excellence, and his determination to remain on top of the game. This track is a testament to K.R.I.T’s lyrical genius and his ability to relate his music journey to a universally understood sport which adds a brilliance that is quite remarkable in hip-hop’s rich tapestry.
