Travie McCoy honors those he lost with “A Spoonful Of Cinnamon”—listen
Gym Class Heroes‘ Travie McCoy has come out of a difficult quarantine with something positive: poignant new music. “A Spoonful Of Cinnamon” marks the end of his quarantine and is his first release since 2015. “A Spoonful Of Cinnamon” is a glimpse through the window into what McCoy’s life has been like for the last year. […]
Gym Class Heroes‘ Travie McCoy has come out of a difficult quarantine with something positive: poignant new music. “A Spoonful Of Cinnamon” marks the end of his quarantine and is his first release since 2015.
“A Spoonful Of Cinnamon” is a glimpse through the window into what McCoy’s life has been like for the last year. The highlight of this song are the lyrics, which speak not only to his struggles during COVID-19 but to the lifelong struggles faced by an individual who grew up biracial. They stand defiantly over mellow, retrospective instrumentation.
The track is accompanied by a powerful music video directed by Dale Restighini and McCoy. It starts with a content warning that the video may be hard to watch for some, then shows an ethereal-looking McCoy singing between shots of people filming him on their phones. The images eventually show McCoy facedown on the ground, the knee of a police officer on his neck, sweating and screaming while people film around him. You can watch the video here or below.
McCoy explains how bitterness doesn’t make the medicine of life go down any smoother. In fact, it only hindered his healing process. McCoy experienced the death of his best friend, constant news about police brutality and a pandemic. He was left with a message for listeners: Don’t let the bitterness choke you.
“This song sums up my experiences through 2020 and honors people in my life that I had lost,” McCoy says in a press release. “ I wish I had more time in the song to honor more people I lost. There was a moment where I was getting weekly phone calls to tell me people I knew had passed away. I’m bipolar, and being isolated was a strong reason to relapse, but I didn’t and made it through. The year gave me a great song to pay tribute to the people I love.”
McCoy first hit the music scene with the creation of Gym Class Heroes but has been inactive since the band went on a summer tour withthe Offspring in 2018.
However, McCoy has stayed busy during his hiatus. He posted, “I’ve been quiet for a long time FOR A REASON. I’ve realized over the years it’s better to show people what you’ve DONE, as opposed to what you PLAN on doing….. so to all my friends, peers, and supporters, this is what I’ve DONE! Can’t wait to show you more-I’m Hopeless” to his Twitter account June 14.
I’ve been quiet for a long time FOR A REASON. I’ve realized over the years it’s better to show peoole what you’ve DONE, as opposed to what you PLAN on doing….. so to all my friends, peers, and supporters, this is what I’ve DONE! Can’t wait to show you more-🫀™️ I’m Hopeless pic.twitter.com/9Z7Rv1mG21
McCoy shared his reaction in an interview with Rolling Stone.
“About a week-and-a-half ago, I knew nothing about TikTok,” he says. “But I had to check it out and see what people think of the song. The lyrics encourage people to shout out their partners. It’s an overall positive message, so it’s great to see people spreading the love…It’s fucking awesome, man.”
Travie McCoy “A Spoonful Of Cinnamon” lyrics:
01-21-2020 The day the lord took my best friend from me I kind of find it funny but not really though I should’ve been 6 feet, 20 years ago I never forget all the laughs we had in the hoopty Whipping through the country He had a way of making cloudy days sunny But what I miss most was when he would sun me “Like Travie do this if you love me” I love you, Bob
2-0-2-0 So long to the bitterness Just a spoonful of cinnamon You know, I know This knee on my neck is causing me to choke Like a spoonful of cinnamon
Last year I flew to Jessup, Georgia To meet my papa and my nana The family of my mama All of my life I was scared He never cared for me Because my father was Black He couldn’t handle that I could see his shadow in the doorway next to the windchime That’s poetic justice ’cause it looked just like the same as mine He hugged me Then he apologized for lost time And then I lost them both And damn near lost my mind
2-0-2-0 So long to the bitterness Just a spoonful of cinnamon You know, I know This knee on my neck is causing me to choke Like a spoonful of cinnamon Feel like I’m stuck in a hole It’s kind of cynical Downing these bottles is getting old It’s not the way Too many funerals Biting my nails down to cuticles It’s not the way Over again and over again
2-0-2-0 You probably think I had season tickets to funerals I’m so sick of seeing Rest In Peace T-shirts I swear I prayed so many prayers my fucking knees hurt And COVID got us all stuck in the house like Mouse Trap And ain’t know telling when the hell we goin’ to bounce back Plus it’s open season on the melanin inclined We all had shitty years, thanks for hearing mine
2-0-2-0 So long to the bitterness Just a spoonful of cinnamon You know, I know This knee on my neck is causing me to choke Like a spoonful of cinnamon Feel like I’m stuck in a hole It’s kind of cynical Downing these bottles is getting old It’s not the way Too many funerals Biting my nails down to cuticles It’s not the way Over again and over again