I’m excited to share a huge milestone in my career: I co-wrote “Maktub,” the lead single from Gary Clark Jr’s latest album, JPEG RAW ! The story of how it was written is a beautiful one, and, as the title suggests, very cosmic. I hope to tell it in the proper format one day. The music was also co-written by two dudes I admire greatly: Elijah Ford and Jacob Sciba.
The idea is pretty simple yet powerful: there are forces of evil that want to stop the good in the world, but if the good people in the world can figure out how to move together, we can create a new, better world together. As Gary sings, “It’s time for a new revolution.”
The song even got the music video treatment, courtesy of Martine Syms. Check out the music video for “Maktub” by Gary Clark Jr. here:
Lyrics for “Maktub” by Gary Clark Jr.
(Co-written by Sama’an Ashrawi, Elijah Ford, and Jacob Sciba.)
[Verse 1]
Uh, they comin’ through
Uh, they gunnin’ for you
Uh, we know the truth
Uh, so we makin’ moves
Uh, while they beatin’ the block
Uh, we goin’ straight to the top
[Chorus]
So we gotta move in the same direction
(Move) Yeah
(Move) We gotta move
(Move) Yeah
Time for a new revolution
(Move) Yeah
(Move) We gotta move
(Move) Yeah
[Verse 2]
You can’t stop the message
Life’s for sale, pay attention
This just is so suspicious
Don’t wanna be another victim
[Chorus]
So wе gotta move in the same dirеction
(Move) Yeah
(Move) We gotta move
(Move) Yeah
Time for a new revolution
(Move) Yeah
(Move) We gotta move
(Move) Yeah
Huh, it’s time to deal with this trauma
Turn trauma in together, rewrite the mission statement
Regardless who’s doin’ the shootin’
We gotta stop doin’ ourselves on the pavement
And if we don’t get it ourselves
Then we can’t be mad when we don’t receive the paper
We’ve come too far for ouselves to look back and say that’s the way it went
That’s just the way it went (Huh)
That’s just the way it went (Huh)
That’s just the way it went (Huh)
That’s just the way it went[Instrumental Break]
[Verse 4]
(Just tell em’ we comin’)
(Just tell em’ we comin’)
Uh, they comin’ through
Uh, they gunnin’ for you
Uh, we know the truth
Uh, so we makin’ moves
Uh, while they beatin’ the block
Uh, we goin’ straight to the top
[Chorus]
So we gotta move in the same direction
(Move) Yeah
(Move) We gotta move
(Move) Yeah
Time for a new revolution
(Move) Yeah
We gotta move, yeah
We gotta move, yeah
We gotta move, yeah
We gotta move, yeah
We gotta move, yeah
We gotta move, yeah
We gotta move, yeah
We gotta move.
“Maktub” on TV
What’s been exciting is seeing the song performed on all sorts of late-night and day time TV. I was fortunate enough to be in the house when Gary performed “Maktub” on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
Then Gary performed “Maktub” on Later… with Jools Holland.
Gary also did a great version of “Maktub” for SOHO Sessions.
“Maktub” also served as the theme song for season two of Mo on Netflix, shoutout to music supervisor and industry executive Suhel Nafar.
But I must say, the way Gary and his band have expanded the song on tour is absolutely magnificent and mesmerizing. Shoutout to his bandmates, the aforementioned Elijah Ford on bass and synth, the inimitable Zapata on guitar, young gun Dayne Relliford on keys, the legend JJ Johnson on drums, and Gary’s sisters: Shanan, Shawn, and Savannah, on backing vocals.
Here’s Gary Clark and the band performing “Maktub” live in my hometown of Houston, TX.
I hope you enjoy the song and its message and I hope my next big song is just a few pen strokes away.
My infinite gratitude to Gary for believing in me, I can’t say enough good things about that man.
Peace,
Sama’an