When a Song Becomes More Than a Song

About two weeks ago, John Legend and Offset released a new song called Never Let Go. I’ll be honest, I’m not the type to keep up with every pop culture update. It’s not that I don’t care, I’m just not invested in what’s trending most of the time. But sometimes, something sneaks onto my TikTok feed that I can’t ignore.

The first time I scrolled past it, I saw John Legend sitting at a piano, and I noticed #Offset. My reaction was, "Wait, John Legend and Offset? That feels so opposite." For the record, I like John Legend. I’m not a diehard fan, but I enjoy his music. Offset, on the other hand? Couldn’t name you a single song. So naturally, I continued scrolling.

But then the song itself kept popping up. Not just once, but over and over, used by different creators across my For You Page. Maybe it was the algorithm, or maybe it was meant for me to finally stop scrolling and really listen.

When I did, I realized this wasn’t just some unexpected collaboration. This was Offset’s dedication to Takeoff, his cousin and fellow Migos member who was tragically killed.

The song is heavy, emotional. It’s about losing a brother and realizing that brother has now become your angel. That line stopped me cold. Because it’s one thing to lose someone you love, but it’s another thing to feel their absence in the everyday spaces they used to fill.

After that, I went and found the full song and read through the lyrics. I couldn’t help but think of Jovan’s friends, his bonus brothers, the kids who were always in our home, raiding the pantry, laughing endlessly, making plans for their future. Those were his people. But Jovan’s circle was even bigger than that.

Jovan and his closest friends, the people who filled our home with love.

Jovan was my butterfly child. He knew everybody, and everybody knew him. His wake was proof of that. The room spilled over with people, friends, classmates, teachers, people I didn’t even know but who showed up because Jovan had made an impact on them. Even now, two years later, people still send me videos, pictures, and stories about their time with him. They keep his memory alive in ways I could never do alone.

Listening to Never Let Go, I realized Jovan wasn’t just my son. He was family to so many others. To his bonus siblings. To his closest friends. To the kids who looked up to him. To the ones who still check in on me, because losing him shook their world too.

And now, just like Takeoff became Offset’s angel, Jovan has become their angel too.

Grief is so personal, but it’s also shared. When someone like Jovan leaves this world, the loss ripples out. It touches more lives than we sometimes realize. That’s what struck me about this song. It’s not just Offset’s grief, it’s the grief of everyone who loved Takeoff, who laughed with him, who felt safe with him. The same way it is for Jovan.

Music has a way of pulling feelings to the surface we didn’t even know we were holding. Never Let Go wasn’t just a song for me, it was a reminder that the love we have for those we’ve lost never goes away. It just changes shape.

And maybe, just maybe, they’re still with us. Not as brothers, not as sons, not as best friends, but as angels.

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Join the Conversation

Is there a song that instantly brings back the memory of someone you’ve lost? I’d love for you to share it with me in the comments. Your story might help someone else feel a little less alone.