On My Soul

## Single by Tobe Nwigwe and Nas featuring Jacob Banks

"**On My Soul**" is a song by American rappers Tobe Nwigwe and Nas featuring Nigerian-born English singer-songwriter Jacob Banks. It was created for the 2023 film soundtrack of *Transformers: Rise of the Beasts*, released as its lead single by Mass Appeal Records on May 19, 2023. While it is included in the digital curated soundtrack, there has not been an official album compiling the heard songs from the film.

## Background

In a May 2023 interview with *The Hollywood Reporter*, director Steven Caple Jr. hinted, "We have a legacy artist who's blessing us with a new track for our film, and I'm so excited about that. It has not been released yet, but I think you guys are really gonna appreciate it when you hear it. He's from the '90s, but I would say that he's arguably one of the top three rappers to ever live. So I'm excited for people to check out what we cooked up with him as well."

## Critical reception

*The New York Times* penned, "The defiant track not only gives the final battle a firmer edge beyond the easy grooves of the throwback needle drops, it marries contemporary recording techniques with '90s flair, particularly through Nas's sharp verses."

## Music video

The official music video was directed by and premiered to Nwigwe's YouTube channel on June 1, 2023. He recalled it being close to the deadline, where "I had to make up the majority of the video on set the day before, at the location," in order for it to be released ahead of the film. Depicting an Afrofuturism setting, he wanted to capture both the essence of the song and the film.

## Personnel

### Song

* Chris Macek – mastering engineer, surround mixing engineer
* Christopher Jordan Alexander – mixing engineer
* Dorothy Chan – recording engineer, mixing engineer
* Ismael Garza – recording engineer, mixing engineer
* Jacob Banks – vocals, writer
* Jason Barton – recording engineer
* Nasir "Nas" Jones – vocals, writer
* The Good Stewards – producer
* Tobechukwu "Tobe" Nwigwe – vocals, writer

### Video

* A Good Stewards Production, Echobend Pictures – executive producer
* B.K. Barone – editor
* Carmen Jones – choreographer
* Doug Porter – cinematographer
* Justin Stewart – creative direction
* Tobe Nwigwe – director, creative direction, choreographer, style + design

## Lyrics

**Lyrics**
[Intro: Jacob Banks]

I, oh, yeah, oh, I

I, ooh

I

[Pre-Chorus: Tobe Nwigwe]

Ooh (*Yeah*), ooh, (*Yeah*), ooh, (*Yeah*), ooh

[Chorus: Tobe Nwigwe]

On my soul, everybody in the clique strapped, and they all on go

Keep a stick, just like branch, papi, but I ain't a troll

On my mama, can't nobody out here play me for no ho

[Verse 1: Tobe Nwigwe]

Guard your grill, guard your grill

Ain't nobody out here hard to kill

The gat I pack go "pap" and peel your cap from front to back

Have you stiff or hard as steel

Ah, tuna fish my hardest meal

Stay trill when they switch to a harder skill

I'm in the field like a Buffalo Bill with a bubble-coat filled

With a couple little posts, chill

Switch it up, get direct, black and white, Michael Bibby

I get cheese with everybody, but can't do it with no Mickey

Keep a blicky on me for them serpents tryna give me hickeys

Who want smoke? Who want smoke? Well, guess what, ho, I'm the chimney, ah

[Bridge: Jacob Banks]

Bring me the smoke and I'll build you a fire

To burn my desire, burn my desire

Bring me the smoke and I'll build you a fire

To burn my desire, burn my desire

[Pre-Chorus: Tobe Nwigwe]

Ooh (*Yeah*), ooh, (*Yeah*), ooh, (*Yeah*), ooh

[Chorus: Tobe Nwigwe, *Jacob Banks*]

On my soul, everybody in the clique strapped, and they all on go

Keep a stick, just like branch, papi, but I ain't a troll (*Yeah*)

On my mama, can't nobody out here play me for no ho

[Verse 2: Nas]

Don't slander all the banter

Just one answer, I'm an animal

I'm just one man, outstandin' though

Part wolf, part king, part Hannibal

Example, proof, I'm built like I'm mechanical

On the mic, I'm a cannibal

You don't know who I'm family to

You don't know my team, you don't know what my mans'll do

Turn it up to the maximum, gorillas in the trap

But them got millions watchin' every move I make 'cause I'm what's happenin'

Got jaws droppin', autopsies, drive hard tops, got hard body

'Cause Nas told me, "Y'all problem", this high-powered, high-profit

[Chorus: Tobe Nwigwe, *Jacob Banks*, **Nas**]

On my soul, everybody in the clique strapped, and they all on go

Keep a stick, just like branch, papi, but I ain't a troll (*Yeah*)

On my mama, can't nobody out here play me for no ho

On my soul, everybody in the clique strapped, and they all on go

Keep a stick, just like branch, papi, but I ain't a troll

On my mama, can't nobody out here play me for no ho (**What up, thun? Let's get it**)

[Outro: Nas, *Jacob Banks*]

Yeah, uh

Uh-huh, yeah

Yeah, yeah (*Yeah*)

## References

1. ↑ Ellington, Andre (May 19, 2023). "Nas 'Transforms' with Tobe Nwigwe & Jacob Banks for 'On My Soul': Listen". *HipHopDX*.
2. ↑ Davids, Brian (May 10, 2023). "'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' Director Steven Caple Jr. on Michael Bay's Support, '90s Rap Soundtrack and Reuniting with 'Creed' Directors". *The Hollywood Reporter*.
3. ↑ Daniels, Robert (June 16, 2023). "How 'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' Throws a '90s Hip-Hop Party". *The New York Times*.
4. ↑ Grove, Rashad (June 19, 2023). "Tobe Nwigwe Clears Up Nas Stunt Double Rumors for 'On My Soul' Visual". *HipHopDX*.