On “1:04 PM” Malik Ruff questions “the difference between a dream and a plan.” The question is left open-ended, to the interpretation of the listener. To Malik, the answer may be self-revision and contemplation; “don’t like one song/ do it again.” In a sense, “1:04” is the plight of the millennial — attempting to create change in a world set far back by its predecessors. He grapples with the idea of a role model, and how those role models dictate the aspirations of the young men he grew up with. His prose is wandering, drifting in and out of focus, effectively capturing his youthful inquiries. Ruff meanders and meanders, until the song abruptly ends, signaling that his stream of consciousness is over. “1:04 PM” is hardly a rap song. Over a drowned out guitar, Malik Ruff searches for something he may never find: answers.
