Dex Amora, an emcee from Minneapolis who now lives in Seattle, released “Ends,” a listenable single with a good, persistent groove to it. Throughout the track, Amora spits that he needs “ends,” mimicking the plethora of ends Americans are currently hoping and praying for: an end to racial injustice, an end to selfishness, and an end to the broken system we find ourselves living in.

The track starts off with a slow, melodic synth groove that persists throughout the whole song. It sets a tone that’s both groovy and a little dark. Amora jumps quickly into the beat and his lyrics, synergizing with the instrumentation.

Hitting on the struggles lived by Black Americans, Amora raps pertinent lines: “I’ve got so many growing pains in my brain / dodging an early hearse” and “I gotta eat, every day I gotta find a meal.” Toward the end of the song, he pleads, “I need ends, ends, ends, ends, ends.” It’s a little ambiguous what “ends” stands for here, which leaves it open to interpretation. It could mean an end to suffering, to racial injustice, the end of an era, or it could be referencing the phrase “making ends meet.” Either way, Amora finds himself in need.

Amora’s rapping is fast and flows nicely. The groovy, repeating riff that carries the whole endeavor is melodic and satisfying. The dark groove, the beat, and Amora’s raps all gel together to underscore some deep lyrics, as Amora spits on and on without having to repeat himself.

In the music video, Amora raps in a face mask, an obvious reminder of the time we’re living in. He raps alone, alternately in an alley and his apartment, reminding us of the isolation we’ve all experienced during the pandemic. An air of loneliness presides over it all, but what’s even more striking is that this has become so customary for us it’s almost not noteworthy.

Amora — and millions of Americans — are certainly praying and fighting for some ends, ends, ends, ends, ends right now. Watch the video below, and let us know what type of ends you’re hoping for.