God Help Us - single by Larry Karpenko

Alexander Asiedu
Aug 14
1 min read

Released on July 25, 2025, Larry Karpenko’s “God Help Us” is born from a meeting with Grammy-winning rapper Rapsody at the Los Angeles College of Music. Her story of creative struggle, reconnection, and gratitude lit a spark that turned Larry’s shelved four-bar beat into a moving prayer for unity.

The track begins with the steady thump of a beat—measured, deliberate, and almost meditative—before rainfall recordings set a reflective tone. Larry’s chorus, “Rain may come, rain may fall, God help us all,” is simple yet resonant, offering both plea and promise. The bridge lifts the arrangement with gospel choir hums, evoking the warmth of a congregation before biblical verses close the track, underscoring themes of faith and resilience.

With culture, the single sits at the intersection of protest music, worship, and communal anthem. Its unpolished production choice feels intentional, rejecting overproduction for an intimacy that allows the listener to connect directly with the heartbeat of the message. The influence of Rapsody’s resilience is present not only in the lyrics but in the song’s refusal to overcomplicate its structure—making it accessible to all voices.

LARRY KARPENKO's picture — **LARRY KARPENKO**

As a work, “God Help Us” succeeds in creating something personal and broadly relatable. It is unpretentious, heartfelt, and—most importantly—memorable. This is protest as prayer, and prayer as music.