Cas the Don Takes On the Messed-Up World in "What’re We to Do"
Brandon Castillo, or Cas the Don as he is better known, has been steadily cultivating a varied musical identity that encompasses smooth R&B, intellectually stimulating hip hop, and even neo-soul-infused narratives. His latest track release, What’re We to Do, which came out at the end of 2025, encapsulates this diversity as it seamlessly weaves together social commentary and self-reflection. This is part of a series of releases in promotion of his forthcoming album, titled Faceted.
The song begins with a staccato, even jarring, metaphor that sets the tone for the rest of the song: “Going through life while someone poking us with a stick / put their tongue on our ice cream ‘fore we got a lick.” Castillo establishes in the first line that life is a world that is working to subvert and oppress its citizens. “Jobs not over til we’re truly free” and “Is it selfish to ask for more, or is it what I was born to be?” suggest a complex interplay of ambition, morality, and strength in a world that is not always supportive. The chorus, “Too much shit to lose, ain’t no time to snooze,” is a call to action that goes far beyond the song itself.
"What're We to Do" sets itself apart not only in its lyrics but in its visual storytelling as well. The album cover is presented as a retro-style front page of a newspaper called "The Freedom Chronicle," and it drops the listener into a world of growing international conflicts and humanitarian crises. The Statue of Liberty looming in the background among ruins suggests the vulnerability of freedom itself, and the chorus "All this on the news? Why we gotta choose?" encapsulates how macro-level events filter down into an individual level of reflection. The song very clearly places itself within the current moment of U.S. airstrikes in Yemen and uprisings around Africa and the Middle East but is also very intimate in its questioning of how one perseveres in moral and emotional ways within an unmoored world.
Musically, Cas the Don draws from Lauryn Hill, incorporating neo-soul elements, harmonies, and delivery that ranges from conversational to poetic. The production allows for each word to fully resonate, finding balance between the flow and the meaning. Even in more aggressive moments, like in the final word of the final line, “Why bite when I can smell the fear in you?” Castillo exercises self-control and composes herself.
The career of Cas the Don has been consistently on the rise. Since his debut SoundCloud uploads in 2020, with debut singles such as “I Know” and “Be Calm,” and more recent tracks such as “Nobody Listening” and “Heritage,” he has cultivated a loyal fan base. “Keep It Goin,” his bittersweet single, appeared in Honk Magazine, and “Inner Machinations of My Mind,” his EP, addressed political, social, and personal struggles with a level of sophistication that is not often present in debut releases by an artist so young. More recent releases, such as “Partier” and “Insurance,” demonstrate Castillo's awareness of mainstream appeal and lyrical sophistication.
"What’re We to Do" is more than a song, more than a critique and more than an anthem—it’s all these things and more. In a world where inflation, real estate, climate change, and politics have become a way of life, Castillo urges listeners to think not just about resilience and justice, but also about what happens on a daily basis, and what kind of choices one makes as an individual, as a human being, and as a member of society. Music Stream What’re We to Do Now on all streaming platforms, and follow cas._.thedon on Instagram for updates on the new album Faceted.