It has been almost a year and a half since the death of Kemar Clayton, the best friend of rapper Alfie Dotel, a.k.a. SIN.
Clayton was found slumped over the steering wheel of a white Mercedes-Benz, shot to death August 1, 2011, in Royal Palm Beach.
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The Providence-born SIN released his The Third Lifetime EP almost four months after his friend's death and dedicated it to Clayton's memory.
The song "Black" provides listeners a glimpse of their bond and SIN's pain as he recites:
You was like my brother/ Used to be at every show/Thought I saw you in the crowd buggin' at my last one/I just shed a tear/Hopefully, my last one/Words from a shattered heart walking with a glass one.
The two were very close. Not only was black the color both wore and Johnny Walker what both drank when they went out together, it exemplified their solidarity.
"I think when he was alive, it was more of a unity type of thing with me and him," SIN reflected. "After he passed, I see it more as a color that really represents him and who he was and what he was all about. Just because it has dark tint doesn't mean it has a dark personality. Black means Kemar Clayton to me."
And though SIN admits to losing out on some confidence that Clayton provided him musically, the activity of this past year secured the rapper's understanding of his audience and their acceptance of him.
"I realized that a lot of people just really appreciated my craft and what I do," said SIN. "Through that whole year span, people were constantly bumping The Third Lifetime and just keep me on the notice that it was still in rotation."
Quiet for most of last year, the rapper focused more on performances, opening up for acts such as Asher Roth and Ab-Soul as well as with fellow South Florida acts Vurn, Will Brennan, J. Nics, and QuESt. The latter, SIN formed a friendship with, built on a foundation of respect and admiration for one another.
"That's one of the most purest dudes that you could just meet and know that he means well all around," SIN explained. "There is no flaw in that dude as far as, you know, like a funny style dude." The two have shared the stage multiple times at Green Room, Revolution, and Bardot as both headlining and opening acts. More recently they took part in the first of two cyphers for the final Brown Bag Wednesday.
