We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

The Wound Is Not the Body (2024)

by B Dolan

/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card
    Download available in 16-bit/44.1kHz.

      $10 USD

     

  • Limited Edition Compact Disc
    Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    We've stepped out on faith that some listeners will still be after these shiny lazer discs. Janine Shroff's design looks great on the sleeve and CD face. We've printed a limited number to avoid being stuck with overstock, so grab your first pressing early! Ships autographed with promo materials.

    Includes unlimited streaming of The Wound Is Not the Body (2024) via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Download available in 16-bit/44.1kHz.

    Sold Out

  • Album Art Tee
    Shirt

    Printed on unisex cotton by ClassSick Custom in Pawtucket, RI, who we have incredibly been printing our shirts with since 2006!

    Sold Out

  • Wil E. Cayo Tee
    Shirt

    Printed on unisex cotton by ClassSick Custom in Pawtucket, RI, who we have incredibly been printing our shirts with since 2006!

    Sold Out

  • "The Wound is Not the Body" Patch
    Button/Pin/Patch

    Designed by Janine Shroff for a specific tier of our Kickstarter backers, we have a limited number of these patches still in stock while they last. Printed by ClassSick Custom in Providence RI.

    Sold Out

  • B. Dolan Logo Snapback
    Hat

    The new B. Dolan logo, designed by Janine Shroff and embroidered on a fresh black snapback by ClassSick Custom.

    Sold Out

  • 2GB B. Dolan USB Drive w/ Discog & Rarities
    USB Flash Drive

    A limited number of these were manufactured for our Kickstarter campaign, but the overage supplies will be available while they last! Loaded with 1GB of music, video, lyrics.

    NOTE: A mock-up image of how these USBs will look is the last piece we're missing ;) Expect product images in the next day or two.

    Sold Out

  • CD Bundle

    "The Wound is Not The Body" VInyl Bundle contains -

    1 Autographed CD
    1 "Advanced Leak" Tour CD*
    1 Album art tee OR Wil E Cayo Tee
    1 Patch
    1 USB Drive*
    Promo Materials / Stickers*

    * - First come first served, while supplies last

    Sold Out

  • Vinyl Bundle

    "The Wound is Not The Body" VInyl Bundle contains -

    1 Autographed Vinyl LP
    1 "Rock Cried Out" 7"*
    1 Album art tee OR Wil E Cayo Tee
    1 Patch
    1 USB Drive*
    Promo Materials / Stickers*

    * - First come first served, while supplies last

    Sold Out

  • MEGA BUNDLE!

    Holy hell! They're clearing the Merch Table!

    1 - Autographed Limited Edition Vinyl LP
    1 - Autographed CD
    1 - Album Tee
    1 - Wil E Cayo Tee
    1 - Patch
    1 - USB Discog
    1 - Logo Hat
    1 - Rock Cried Out 7" *
    1 - "Advance Leak" CD *
    1 - Skullbeard Tote Bag

    Promo Materials

    Sold Out

  • Limited First Pressing 12" Colored Vinyl
    Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    Two color cloudy vinyl looks absolutely incredible next to Janine Shroff's hand painted cover. These vinyl have been pre-ordered by Kickstarters and retail stores, and a number are being held aside for touring. That means online sales will be very limited! Get yours early! Ships autographed.

    Includes unlimited streaming of The Wound Is Not the Body (2024) via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Download available in 16-bit/44.1kHz.

    Sold Out

1.
Turn a Mill 03:31
Step by step the longest march can be won (can be won) Many stones to form an arch singly none (singly none) And by union what we will Can be accomplished still Drops of water turn a mill Singly none. Step ahead, step behind only rapper two stepping with a metal spine even in decline, still ahead of my time Evel Knievel in his prime, how's he even alive (damn) I dare you devils adhere to this schedule I ran like hell for years at this level Whole family on my back, what'd I tell you? Even when the vertebrae cracked, I never fell through. Never said I was invincible, Body moving body broken from the neck down Guess I was standing on my principles. Luckily them motherfuckers were dead sound Who slept sound knowing that the beds were burning? Then fed full bellies with an extra serving. Nothing left for the essential person Who showed up to work knowing death was certain Infections lurking where protections lacking to practice murder while we speak compassion We cut trash bags into plastic curtains We couldn't seem to keep that mask in fashion No visitors pass is what the Doctors say just me, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye between a sleepless state feeling the deepest ache having dreams of the dead homies keeping me safe the O.G. would say 'you need to go a lot slower, you care too much plus you act too grown up must've lost track of the times I have told ya you walk like the weight of the world's on your shoulders' Rest in peace to a tough guy Wish he could've stuck around for the punchline Baby boy took his first steps for the second time while the third wave shut down production lines but I'm Staying focused on my breath. Drinking water doing stretches getting rest (having fun) Letting it bang for them ones Who can still get it cracking like some Alias drums We ain't done. Until I get away and walk into the sun. The homie Pip told me 'fuck it, let em come' Keep going til' I end it on the one Not the run of the mill, cuz for the mill I don't (run) Yes yes y'all, you don't stop. B. Dolan. Rock on. Yes yes y'all, you don't stop. Rock on.
2.
The Traveler 03:11
I can't claim any ties you would recognize I come poorly recommended and unweatherized unprotected like a child that's been left behind came so many miles, the conductor just let him ride it's easier than tryna find my point of origin standing in the warm summer rain on your doorstep stranded in the wrong place; naked and exhausted you took me in and made me your guest. I try to write the symbols of my name but it's pointless My language is strange, I point and make noises Struggle to relate and placate the voices Stare up into space like I'm waiting on my orders. I'm not connected to your network. Your password's protected; I get it. No one gets hurt Slow walking through the middle of a traffic jam Road hogs to the slaughter getting packed in cans Soul coughing on the smoke from that caravan Seems a lot of waste just to go and come back again How much effort does it take, just to go and come back again? I'm the traveler (the-the-the traveler / the-the-the traveler) The one way passenger. I'm the traveler (the-the-the traveler Tryna find a path and make my way up out the labyrinth I'm the traveler (the-the-the traveler / the-the-the traveler) The brand ambassador I'm the traveler (the-the-the traveler / the-the-the traveler) Tryna pick a date to make my way up out the maze I can't explain why I'm alive at this place and time I kinda woke up in the station as the train arrived It ain't a final destination but I'll stay awhile til they kick me out, with a warning not to hang around Say no more, I'm on my way to the door Finding it hard to shake the feeling that I been here before I get lost just like a satellite, drifting out of orbit I tour but I'm not a tourist. It costs more for the insurance if you fall for that lecture but I always sort of saw it like 'that's where they get ya.' We don't need no supervision or additional extra Please. Gimme the keys. Where's your sense of adventure? Beep Beep I been selected for a screening They juggle puzzle pieces but none of them know the meaning Below a ceiling made of glass, I was in a trap Agents digging in my past to pin me to the map Luckily I have a knack for slipping through the cracks Struggle and adapt to the maze, had to double back and leave em standing in their place where it's safe Clinging to the past. I'm the traveler (the-the-the traveler / the-the-the traveler) The one way passenger. I'm the traveler (the-the-the traveler Tryna find a path and make my way up out the labyrinth I'm the traveler (the-the-the traveler / the-the-the traveler) The hunter and the gatherer I'm the traveler (the-the-the traveler / the-the-the traveler) "You see my face and I'm gone..." -Guru
3.
Too many styles for me to engage or debate y'all Ain't in the same league; don't keep the same score I seen the legends rock. I seen the greats fall. I watched em turn it all to fantasy baseball. Fantasy baseball, fantasy baseball Fantasy baseball but I ain't come to play with y'all. You never rated me, but then I kinda hated y'all You never made my team in Fantasy Baseball. The greatest freestyle of all time was not recorded Somebody's battery died; somebody's mic distorted In any case they never played it back but fear not. It lives deep in the heart of everyone who was in ear shot. the weird part is when the beating heart becomes collectible Now they're making charts about your vocab and your revenue Statisticians wishing they could round you to a decimal Place you in a playlist or hypothetical festival One for your favorite two for Biggie and Pac three four naming me your Top 5 Rappers right off the Top I've got so little patience for this form of conversation My source of inspiration don't need your evaluation why not Just keep my name completely out of that rotation I'm still perfecting game and running bases in the vacant sandlot My hand is hot but I am not the one to shoot you down Respect is due and I've accrued enough to move around But when you get there I just find it mad amusing how the hall of fame is just a tourist trap in Cooperstown. Too many styles for me to engage or debate y'all Ain't in the same league, don't keep the same score I seen the legends rock, I seen the greats fall I watched em turn it all to Fantasy Baseball. <Chorus> The greatest rap song in history was not released They couldn't clear the sample. Had to remake the beat The perfect reference full of purpose and intention So it's cool you've got a preference but I've formed more of a core belief. The war machine will have us gunning for the pennant and standing for the anthem of the fandom we defended when tables turn toxic, they follow where you're stepping and Stan in the place where you were, to spread the legend The competition sells the tickets and you get your paper They get their verses with a Z and then it's 'see ya later' But here's a bar that you can keep and then remember later The game was never played for the sake of spectators Too many shows for me to engage or debate y'all Ain't in the same league. Don't keep the same score. I seen the legends rock. I seen the greats fall. Don't let em turn it all to Fantasy Baseball. <Chorus> "Come on everybody do the baseball. Come on everybody do the baseball..." -De La Soul Rest in peace to Plug 2. We in the outfield, picking daisies for the whole crew.
4.
Lyrics: A thought formed before time on the surface of space Split apart the lonely mind with a purpose and shape Lit the dark with an explosive shock in bodies that shake Break apart and smash together keeping orbits in place I became: the definition of 'solid' and learned to hold the trauma Coated my surface with an armor hard as molten lava You crawled up out of the water and started growing larger I gave you coal and harbor, later gave you gold and copper Who gave you warmth? Who gave you tools? Who gave you power? You tunnel through. You dug a tomb. You move a mountain. Your bloody rule and sudden moves, running my jewels Combustible. You guzzle fuel and hunt for food. You took it all like it was yours, and once removed I felt a force begin to course and buckle through. I saw the truth but I could never understand How everything you touch becomes a weapon in your hand. The Rock cried out. The Rock cried out. The Rock cried out. According to the legend you're the masters of the earth But perhaps some missing chapters might have clarified the verse You grew in dirt. To disperse. Mutant germs throughout the universe. Justify the violence of your mind no matter who it hurts The wounded earth recalls the deposits you have made and the names of stones you laid in place to mark the graves. Gaudy monuments to glorious dead that might stand At least until the elements compress your lifespan Desert sand would love to cover you. Sun has seen enough of you. Air whispers to smother you but Ocean wants to come for you. Wonder who you running to? Same as it ever was. Building bunkers underground. Caves with electric plugs. Never learned the lesson, huh? Never saw the common thread? Never learned to slow it down. Never learned to calm your head. Now you need a solid friend to talk to, til the quakes are over But I am not immortal I'm just breaking down slower. The Rock cried out: "I can't hide you."
5.
The rep grows bigger over time and distance the myth gets passed on the lips of misfits A lot of people got the whole history twisted Addicted to the cinema and same old fictions You sippin on vino eating shrimp and lobster a Kingpin killing wise guy battalions Now everybody John Gotti wannabe mobster but nothing could be easier than robbin Italians. Them family ties are thinner than they seem peak rivalry and petty jealousy you find the weakest link and work it like Play-Doh First thing to know is every family got a Fredo. Get up on the payroll Let em take you home and introduce you round the table Chicken scallopini fettucini with tomato once you breaking bread it's like defenses get disabled. Put the poison in the wine if you feeling doubt, flattery will get it every time cater the ego they won't even know what happened nothing could be easier than stealing on Italians crosses and medallions, flashing what they got marble on the countertop, diamonds in the watch tryna play the part got em looking like a mark always selling wolf tickets ain't no bite behind the bark Plus it's way past the heydey Closer to the vibe of how Carmella was with AJ Gucci this, Prada that, hand me down furs type to play the fiddle while they watch it all burn Look how it made em lose focus Tryna flip their little street fame into showbiz Every single Caesar with his back sliced open on the colosseum steps told you 'don't do like the Romans' But still you want an empire Bragging like you're tryna dry snitch on a wire Hurry up quick before the side chicks retire Cash em out early in the deserts where they hide ya Take it as a heads up or take it as a challenge Take it like Columbus and kill em while they're captive Take it all in stride Take it up with the Vatican Take it as a metaphor Take it as it happens Take my advice there's a price for the arrogance. You'll never take it easier than robbing the Italians.
6.
You woke up Feeling like you'd been crushed by a boulder scratching at the fleas and another day older Roll up outta bed put the kettle on the stoveplate wait for the cobwebs to go away It seemed like yesterday was gonna be the one you were bout to hit the road and you had em on the run here you come talking about your new plan of attack but you may have made a few wrong moves in the trap so where you at? at the open mic, hoping for gas money supposedly promoted by one of your rap buddies? everybody's gotta play the fool but it's clear that you been doing that for 20 years and the bills pile up, and the heat don't work and you never see your kids, and you're eating like a jerk and everybody's a hater when your feelings get hurt but one day you've gotta face it: you'll never eat the bird! You're a glutton for the punishment Addict for the poultry Look at who you're running with! How is it you don't see? You're hungry for the wrong thing That's why you're known to be a natural born loser Wil E. Coyote. And you don't stop... and you don't quit.... But maybe you should. You woke up Feeling like you got shot out of a catapult Take a look around, pick yourself up off the asphalt surrounded by girls, you probably wanna catcall but you won't get no love like that y'all (that y'all) back to the drawing board, back to the lab and the phone never rings in your bachelor pad but you the mack, so you treat em like they're all inferior can't no woman meet your criteria She gotta be a freak and she gotta be a virgin She gotta be ambitious, she gotta be earning a cooker and a cleaner with a body that's perfect She gotta feed your ego, and let you know you're worth it But right before you meet though, you may wanna ask Why would she ever date your sorry ass? Pause. Do the math. Take a look at the trajectory. Acting like a predator ain't really in your pedigree you glutton for the punishment Addict for the poultry. Lookit who you're running with! How is it you don't see? You're hungry for the wrong things That's why you're known to be the bottom of the food chain Wil E. Coyote. <Chorus> You woke up Feeling like you got shot out of a slingshot Looking at this rope, thinking how to tie a slipknot And that's a scary episode. If you've never seen it then you've rarely ever known. Watching your last hope go up in a puff of smoke Feeling like a mutt and the butt of a bad joke Cupboard full of nothing, disgusted by dusty roads But maybe there's a better way to satisfy your soul and maybe there will come a day when you pick up the phone and cancel that delivery, and realize your worth and stop buying ACME. Cause ACME don't work! Throw away the jetpacks, birdseed and rollerblades Try a vegan diet. Buy a ticket. Go away. Find a better climate. Maybe find some slower prey You may find there's no shame and focus your aim cuz you were tougher than the punishment, better than you hope to be If one day you up and quit, knowing what you don't need that's the day we all win That's the day you go free! A super genius. Wil E. Coyote.
7.
Selfie Sub 03:58
I've walked the hall of mirrors with a heart that's made of glass I've fallen toward reflections in the water and been trapped When this director needed cast I played an extra in his crew on the set, where they work and sweat to make the cameras move. With angles used to draw the viewer through the picture That's where I crossed paths with this bad Influencer looking sexy by device, she made an entrance in life the man said "Let me introduce you to who's playing your wife" Ok alright, I kept it polite. Entertainers better know the default is Shut the Fuck Up and Be a Professional (still) She rubbed my arms to keep her warm between takes I said some shit that made her laugh She's looking all in my face. Gave me the longest embrace Now I'm beginning to wonder... she took a pic with my phone Texted it to her number. I heard the thunder when she gently took a hold of my hand Whispered "let's get another one" and passed the phone to her man. She said: "Take it again. I look bad in this picture. Where's the bag I left witcha? Use a flash and a filter and Take it again Aim it up with the lens wide. This one neeeds a fresh eye Get me from my best side Take it again I look good from this angle but my hair's getting tangled Be a doll, be an angel baby. Take it again." And he took what he was given like the picture of submission that my whole life had been missing. Chorus: Go. Post. Don't disturb me again (She had a Selfie Sub) Go. Post. Don't disturb me again (A Selfie Sub) Go. Post. Don't disturb me again (Not no Ordinary Love) Go. Post. Don't disturb me again So it's like... you and your man got a three way relationship You're in love with Fame. He takes the pictures and pays for shit? (Yeah.) What level game is this? Parasitic bait and switch She said "I train a simp. You should join my mailing list." But interest faded once she saw me push the button Director hollered 'Cut' now it's a wrap all of a sudden. That's when I saw her Selfie Sub standing alone I simply had to guess the code to try unlocking his phone I told him: "I couldn't help it but notice you manage talent you rolling with a pro and you should know I'm not the average." He looked me over quick, then turned around to face a wall and motion in my face like he was taking a call Yo hold up. I need a Selfie Sub to see me from the perfect view to be the lens my imperfections can be filtered through Where is the selfless love to document my very best? Destroy the archives of hard drives and burn the rest to share the love my future followers have yet to find and never question when I tell you for the seventh time "Take it again. I look ugly in this shot. I need more than what we've got All aboard, we on the Yacht about to Take it again To exotic destinations for our photo shoot locations Where your private jet is waiting and we Take it again Aim it up, with the lens high, this one needs a fresh eye get me from my best side. Take it again" And he took what he was given til she motioned to dismiss him and his focus never shifted. <Chorus> Yah Ra: Beauty is traded as a form of currency certainly heightened when the world's in a constant State of emergency when Pornographic stimulation becomes as common as courtesy and courtesy ain't common Dreams of covergirl queens and nightmares of the bottom Are we tail or head? Innocence we have robbed and no Problems have been solved just made more complex I digress. As I'm cashing the next check....
8.
The news reports a gruesome slaughter in the morning Tawdry rags report the morbid facts, poured in your coffee gory details overfilled and spilled in coffee table silk Hungry people mix the sugar with some milk Quick to place the guilt. The wars inflate the price and raise the cost of daily life Doors are shut the crates are dry We scraping by on flavored ice I always aspire to be a good driver, remain in the light When only the gangster's are hiring you're liable to take their advice Trained in taking flight, we scavenge in flocks and imagine riches Flashing carats in a tacky gold watch could attract some pigeons Two bit kingpins slinging grams, hand to hand out rented vans Fam was warring, bringing bricks and shivs to carve up stolen lands While the owners hid their hands and planned the routes we came to drive All we had to do was pull up right outside and play the chimes Chorus: To show the world who controls the world, control the world. Everybody wants to Rule the world I know you heard the song before Soldiers headed off to war Ain't nobody laughing now Talking smack or backing down Every street we travel down People run to catch the sound Made a living out the wrecks in the scrapyard A way to paint em up fresh in a back lot Cut a deal for the product, conceal our own markup and carve up the market with that part. Chop ice with the sharpest blade Lead pipe by the freezer case They put a brick through my front windshield I was back in the field slinging treats when the evening came Known as strictly a pro so they sent me in solo Follow directions, befriended the locals They hear me coming and run for the money I serve em quickly and run up the totals Pockets got hopeful of holding a million and building a ladder up out of this shite. I sold my soul in the summer to run with them hustlers and battle my brothers at night Business is personal, egos are certain to flare up When that sort of damage gets owed We went from slashing up tires to faces to burning a family alive in their home to show the world... who controls the world, we sold the world. Everybody wants to Rule the world I know you heard the song before Soldiers headed off to war... Some gave their life and were melted like ice in the light of the hot summer sun Moments we burned in our memory the burden was heavy a darkness came over the judge As he speaking the verdict uniquely I heard through a window that someone had cracked Kids in a tenement scream for attention in fact they were begging their parents for cash. Musical notes could produce a hypnosis in rodents and over those children at play But when the village is empty the bill is presented the piper will have to be paid. Patsys will hang. Triggers will bang. Predators watching will sharpen their fangs Criminal slang, chiseled in graves Fortunes we made and destroyed in a day We came of age, chasing them songs Learning the legends of crooks they involved Shadows grew long. Winter came on. When it was done all the sweetness had gone We sold the world.
9.
Let the preacher say Amen and the choir say 'Gloria' You give it all and they still want more from ya Chasing the high or the feeling of euphoria But this pose is called "Modified Warrior" I lift stones to build a foundation strong enough I spit flows and got a couple more to offer up There's more of us but we too afraid of rocking the boat to ever govern by the popular vote Is our apocalypse slow or is it time running out? Without a second to spare, without a shadow of doubt He get the hands in the air, and known for grabbing the crowd Dead lift them 10 inches off the goddamn ground When rappers were laying down I was fighting to stand up The walk to the cane to the pain drugs can't touch So you playing it tough just ain't do nothing to phase us I make them all hush introverted and anxious And plus I let the devil live long enough Lay out the cards on the table cuz I'm calling all bluffs Reconstructed the stance to stand taller cuz the new shit is called "Modified Warrior" "Modified Warrior... Slightly Modified..." I'm reinforced by a source I'm a part of How many frauds did this industry prop up? But see the thing is that I never been star struck I need to know what you can bring to the potluck Too many fans jam packed in the hot sun Too many hand stamps, too many want one Too many artists, too much product, too much gas I'm here to tell you not to start that podcast Unless you really got the passion to do so I used to grind til the force went through bone Just like a parent who would bring the abuse home It's heavy lifting walking round with a tombstone Tied around your neck, the child of that neglect was wiling for respect and while defying death I found a way to rep for lives that I protect forgive but don't forget it's bigger than mic checks (mic check) Cuz things will never be the same as before for us I let the strange winds of change fill up all in my lungs Transform to stand strong & never forfeit cuz I roll up with some modified warriors... "Modified Warrior..." I realized what a violent word 'normal' was Got torn down the middle, got sawed and cut Got fused with some screws and reborn to run So this one is called "Modified Warrior"

about

In the aftermath of an emergency spine surgery that radically altered his perspective and body, B. Dolan emerges after a four year hiatus from touring and releasing LPs with a new collection of songs, a new stage show, and a harrowing new story to tell.

Written during COVID lockdown and his quarantined procedure and recovery, "The Wound is Not The Body" finds the emcee's stark and confessional lyrics winding through 9 new rap songs littered with strange characters, pandemic fatigue, autobiographical thoughts on hip hop, living and aging, and a newly forged resolve.

Production from Ant, HEBL, Small Professor, Widowmaker and Dolan himself provide a soulful and minimalist backdrop, while B. Dolan gets some of the most carefully crafted bars of his life across in an unhurried, confident fashion. Aside from impeccable guest vocalist Nya Trysha who adds sung vocals to two songs and Yah-Ra of Planet Asia who lends some spoken bars, the album is notably devoid of features. The emcee vocalist is front and center for this one, and the songs feel like self-contained films about moments, impressions and memories.

"The Wound is Not The Body" features a narrator writing alone in recovery, sounding like he and his work have been torn down and rebuilt from the ground up.

The album is mixed by DS3K and mastered by Daddy Kev. Available direct from B. Dolan or via Symphonic Distro (US) and Speech Development Records and The Orchard (EU).

credits

released May 3, 2024

Produced by B. Dolan
Cover by Janine Shroff

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

B Dolan Providence, Rhode Island

Road-tested hip hop poet handling life, liberation + a body full of trauma. Makes beats and lyrics late night.

Visit IAmBDolan.com to read the full artist bio.

shows

contact / help

Contact B Dolan

Streaming and
Download help

Shipping and returns

Redeem code

Report this album or account

B Dolan recommends:

If you like B Dolan, you may also like: