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  • Autographed 2LP + 7" Vinyl PACK
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    Autographed copy of 2LP 'The Past Is Always Present In The Future' + 7" 'Follow The Master' b/w 'Cool Mornings' Single

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  • 2LP 12" Vinyl
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    2xLP edition of The Past Is Always Present In The Future pressed on BLACK Vinyl. All songs have been remastered for vinyl. Limited to 450 copies.

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    Comes with two albums*:
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    *Automatic download of 'The Past Is Always Present In The Future' included in order. Download card of 'Sacrifice' included in your shipment. 'The Garden' is no longer available for this package.

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Comes in an autographed semi-gloss finish digipak case with a 4 panel folder poster.

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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Comes in a matte finish digipak case with a 4 panel folder poster.

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  • Autographed 2LP Test Pressing 12"
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    SUBporters exclusive

    Autographed limited edition (3 copies) 150 gram black 12" vinyl test pressings of 'The Past Is Always Present In The Future'.

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  • Limited Edition Cassette
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    High-bias cassette tape. First Substantial album ever to be released on cassette. Only 100 copies available!

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  • Autographed 2LP 12" Vinyl
    Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    2xLP edition of The Past Is Always Present In The Future pressed on BLACK Vinyl. SIGNED BY SUBSTANTIAL. All songs have been remastered for vinyl. Limited to 50 copies.

    Includes unlimited streaming of The Past Is Always Present In The Future via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 58 Substantial releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Apeks (Maxi​-​Single), Adultish (Deluxe Edition), Salt N Pepa ft. Black Root & Marcus D (Maxi-Single), 1580 ft. DJ RBI & T.Lucas, You've Grown ft. MLLN, Reed Richards, No Per Diem 2.0 ft. Mega Ran, Animal Arithmetic, Vol. 1 (Instrumentals), and 50 more. , and , .

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about

"When you face up to bad things in the past, the most important thing is not to allow them to happen today or in the future, and as storytellers, we must play our part in that." ― Michelle Yeoh

lyrics

HOOK
Will it happen? Could it happen? I don't know.
Signs are around me, everywhere I go.
From P.G. County to Tokyo.
Everywhere I go, the people wanna know...
How will it go down?!

VERSE 1
I had a nightmare that I hope don’t come true (Talk about it, bruh!)
Black blood on the streets ‘cause they’ve blacklisted our hue (So ironic, huh?)
Thought it was a dream until I turned on the tube (What you seein’ mang?)
Murder, hate and sadness all I see on the news (Can’t believe it, mang!)
S‘pose to be the future but it look like the past (Seen it all before)
Master’s boot still on our throat when it ain’t up our ass (Time to go to war)
Bracelets come with collars, kept on a very short leash (Get it off of me)
homes are now are cages, called animals by the beast (The hypocrisy)

HOOK

VERSE 2
I had a daydream while I was wide awake (Oh word?)
Opponents try to put a rack of shit upon our shoulders, they ain’t know it
But we just could not break (No sir!)
Had our community and businesses in order, we supported
Ourselves our own way (Indeed)
Greater schools within our zoning, our creations never stolen.
Taught and owned what we made (No greed)
S’pose to be future but it could to be today (Talk about it)
Soon as you see your destiny is linked to ours
And acknowledge that these scars will not fade (Ain’t forgot about it)
And stop the whitewashing of our Gods far too long you been
Controlling our faith and fate
I pray, one day, we work together
Or lay to waste this world forever!

HOOK

credits

from The Past Is Always Present In The Future, released January 6, 2017
(S. Robinson, D. Alexander)
Produced by Gensu Dean
Vocals by Substantial
Additional drum programming by Substantial

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Substantial Alexandria, Virginia

Virginia based International Hip Hop Recording Artist from Maryland.

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