Singles Spotlight:
Manasseh –
“CBD”

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Last week we talked about “Junie,” one of the great songs on Chicago-based songwriter, arranger, creative director, vocal coach, and psychedelic soul singer Manasseh‘s newest album, R&B[eyond]. If you haven’t read Spotlight, check that out after you finish today’s Singles Spotlight on another fabulous song on the album. This time we’re talking about the song “CBD,” which features Chicago’s own rapper-professor femdot, as well as Manasseh. But before we get into the present, let’s take a look at his past discography. Manasseh has released one EP, Variations V1: I’ll Be EP (2023), and three full-length albums: Chasing Moonlight (2021), Monochromatic Dream (2022), and fav.wav.acapella (2024). I recommend looking up and listening to all of them. You will not be disappointed. 

What can listeners expect from this recent release?  According to the album’s press release, the album “…blends R&B, soul, psychedelia, hip-hop, and more. He also keeps the record grounded in the sounds of Chicago, embracing his roots with the help of several local collaborators, as the album is in part an homage to his younger self.” Within the album, you’ll hear collaborations with rapper-professor femdot., R&B and rap artist-producer Galaxy Francis, trumpeter Marquis Hill, rapper-farmer-community curator Heavy Crownz, musician and producer Marcus Darling, and producer Renzell (Chance the Rapper, Noname, Mick Jenkins).”

Manassah Croft grew up on Chicago’s South Side in a religious Baptist household and has been influenced by secular music, noting that “… R&B[eyond] is a tribute to the permission his mom gave him to explore secular music, having grown up in a strict Baptist household. He said, ‘Even so, my mother always recognized just how deeply I loved music—and that truth lives at the core of this body of work.'”

Croft continues, “At its heart, this album is for ‘Baby Ness.’ The artwork features a photo from my grammar school days — a moment where I felt completely confident, fully seen, and honestly, my most handsome in that picture day fit. That energy, that innocence, that self-assurance all fuel the spirit of this project. My hope is that listeners can truly feel my journey, moving through each emotion with ease as the sounds carry them.”

Now that we have learned a bit about Manasseh and talked about his discography and newest album, let’s take a peek at the singles artwork for the song, “CBD”:

“CBD” begins in a glorious manner. The melody and layered vocals are lovely to the ear. You’ll be entranced by the smoothness. The song is a cathartic tale of respect and setting boundaries in a blunt tone. For listeners, it’s a well-communicated, easy-to-digest message that is relatable to not just the narrator and his intended subject. If this melody and song construction were rap, you could call it a diss track, but the lyrics aren’t that messy or dramatic as one may expect with a diss track. This is not East Coast v West Coast beefs of days past. Nor the Drake-Kendrick tracks. This is more US Southern-style bless your heart messaging that is a polite way of saying go fuck yourself. The opening lyrics start with You be doing the most / It ain’t always bout you. This straightforwardness throughout the listening experience is perfectly balanced and eloquently stated with neither Manasseh nor femdot. ever losing control. Excellent work, guys. This is paired with Manasseh’s silky-smooth vocals and a melody built on smooth keys and a sweet beat. While femdot.’s vocals have more roughness and edge, his delivery pairs well with Manasseh’s, as well as with the overall messaging and ethereal beat. It all comes together as beautifully done songcraft in ways many songwriters and producers aim for but don’t achieve. While all music isn’t meant for public consumption, as some writing is a cathartic exercise for its artist(s), and the results show when a song isn’t seen as relatable or is perceived as rough around the edges or unfinished, this song is incredibly balanced. After listening to it the first time, I strongly felt that this song had to be shared with the SWT audience, so I couldn’t pass up the chance to include this song as one of SWT’s Singles Spotlights.

The chorus of Please calm yo bi*** a** down / There’s no clout to be found / Nobody even cares what you’re talking about is a chef’s kiss. Closing the door on that chapter, moving forward with new life to the next.

Press play and take a listen for yourself to see how Manasseh and femdot. did it so well by listening to the song “CBD”:

See Manasseh in his picture-day fit on the cover art for the R&B[eyond] album:

The track list for R&B[eyond]:

1. Ness n Max (ft. Max Lazarus, Marquis Hill)
2. Let’s Be Cool
3. Feel Like (ft. Marcus Darling, Jamison Brenner)
4. Todo
5. Right Now (ft. RHOME)
6. Junie (ft. Galaxy Francis)
7. Novus (ft. Heavy Crownz, milesolovely)
8. CBD (ft. femdot.)
9. Old-Times Sake
10. 2 AM
11. Reprise
12. Playin (ft. Brother)
13. Me n LeftJones (ft. LeftJones)

Alex M Theel

Co-Founder, Reviewer, Content Creator, Business side, Editor at Scummy Water Tower Productions | Web

Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site, scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions and SWT Interviews. And all of our socials.
Questions, feedback, or more? Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com