From omicron to Dr. Oz, these 5 songs summarize the week's news perfectly

Dec. 4, 2021, 9:57 AM EST

Here’s the second installment of The ReidOut Blog’s “Sound Summary,” a playlist that summarizes the last week of news. Give a read while you listen to the playlist below!

‘LF95’ — Lupe Fiasco and Kaelin Ellis

“That landed suitably, worded beautifully/ They heard that I was sick, now they herd immunity.”

This week, the United States recorded its first case of the Covid-19 omicron variant. It’s another reminder that the pandemic isn’t over and that those who ignore health protocols like masking and vaccination are worsening the crisis for the rest of us. “LF95” is an incredible song recorded by Lupe Fiasco and Kaelin Ellis about the coronavirus pandemic.

‘Legend In His Own Mind’ — Gil Scott-Heron

This one’s self-explanatory. Dr. Mehmet Oz — the talk show host known for spreading baseless medical theories and touting unproven miracle cures — entered the Republican primary for Senate in Pennsylvania this week. He’s never been an elected official, and he only kinda lives in Pennsylvania, according to reports. I almost went with Oingo Boingo’s “Weird Science” here, but this Gil Scott-Heron track is more fitting.

‘Do Your Thang’ — Xscape

I was tempted to go with Jermaine Dupri’s “Welcome to Atlanta” remix here, but it felt too easy. Instead, here’s another Dupri-produced track. Xscape’s “Do Your Thang” is the perfect song to celebrate Stacey Abrams’ entry into the Georgia governor’s race this week. After she made the announcement, I explained why she’s the ideal candidate for Democrats. In short: She’s clear about her intentions, and she stays her course, undeterred.

‘Maggot Brain’ — Funkadelic

I love this instrumental track by Funkadelic, which is why I’m somewhat disappointed in myself for using it in this context. But how could I not? The name is a fitting description for conservative Supreme Court justices’ lines of questioning during this week’s oral arguments about Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban. Read me here to check out some of their most ignorant remarks, which displayed a stunning lack of knowledge about abortions and pregnancy.

‘My People … Hold On’ — Eddie Kendricks

Earlier this week, I wrote about the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling that it would use the gerrymandered district map Republicans drew a decade ago as a model for drawing this year’s maps. I continue to highlight Republican opposition to democracy because it poses a grave danger, and it’s proliferating. When I’m plotting ways to oppose it, I listen to this.