Meditation Music: Nine 9th Wonder Beats That Sound Like Spring Time

If 9th Wonder is the ninth wonder of the world, then spring is the tenth. If the melted snow and above-65-degree temperatures haven’t already told you, I will: spring’s officially here, and the only thing that might be as beautiful as this particular season are instrumentals from this hip-hop legend. So why not pair them together? 

Here are nine 9th wonder beats that sound like the spring. 

“Think Good Thoughts” 

Pre glow-up Drake teamed up with Phonte and Elzhi for this one, but the dazed soul of it all makes it just as good without the bars. Sorry guys. 

“Rise” 

The winding strings here sound like uncoiled memories, and the vocals remind me of trying to locate the right words to say and not being able to. But trying anyway. Rise, indeed. 

“I Can See” 

Basically any time 9th Wonder gets some soulful vocals to work with, they’ll reverberate through a bouncy canvas for a track that’s energetic and wholesome simultaneously. For me, “I Can See” is something like the pinnacle of that sound. 

“Lovin’ It” 

For some reason, whenever I think about the blog era, I think about “Lovin It,” which feels like the peak of Little Brother’s majesty. The Stylistics sample is supposed to be sad, but it soars, and 9th’s drums make you want to pick up a mic and spit. But then your realize you’d rather listen to the beat instead. 

“The Righteous Way to Go”

The strings on “The Righteous Way to Go” sound like a happy ending, with the soulful Curtis Mayfield playing the role of the wise old fairy godfather who always knew things would somehow be okay. In the hands of 9th Wonder, the righteous path has rarely sounded so righteous. 

“The Pain”

Walk with me — yes, the sample here is dreary. Yes, it’s literally called ‘Pain,” and yes, “rain” is repeated throughout the chorus. But alternatively, there’s also the whole “dancing in the rain” motif. This beat isn’t for dancing, but with its reedy violin strings and longing Buddy Miles sample and punchy drums, 9th invites you to bob your head. 

“Respect Due”

Hazy electric guitar and a disembodied vocal sample make “Respect Due” otherworldly and beautiful — like a walk in Brooklyn Botanical Garden. 

“No Future” 

“No Future” is at once dystopian and vibey, but the hook space with the vocals gives it a sense of yearning desperation, too. Another track you can try cyphering over or throw in your AirPods and get lost in your own mind.

“The Sweetest Language” 

Very tempted to go watch Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, download the footage and make a reel with “The Sweetest Language” as the soundtrack. Or go drink a bunch of delicious, chocolatey (and possibly alcoholic) drinks as I take a stroll down Franklin Ave. Whichever is easier.