Recently, I was watching a show called “Dear White People”. A scene that stuck in my head, was when a character – Sam, changed the music she was listening to as she passed students of the same race. You see Sam was a black rights activist, and I don’t mean tweeting level activist , more like low-key black panther revolution level. So to Sam, her playlist had to indicate that she was ‘black and proud’. I was disappointed in Sam because, I felt the action was degrading to both herself and the people around her. I mean why do you speak of freedom, if you are going to put yourself in a box? (sorry to my friends who are probably tired of my box talk). At the same time, you demean others by setting yourself on a high pedestal, and you do this under the cover of words similar to “they won’t understand”. I liken that to a writer, who releases a dead ass book,but defends it by saying the masses do not understand literature. Oh such shallowness!
Anyways, that was before I found out that I
was just like Sam. Recently I was discussing some shows I watched on Netflix , and then somehow I made an unconscious conscious decision (if that makes sense) to leave out the fact that I had just seen “Dear White People”. I want to defend myself by saying that I did not list all the shows I watched, but I save my self from such dishonesty. I come clean that I was on a ‘high horse’, and did not want to portray myself as aggressively black since I was talking to a white person. Yes! Yes ! I am guilty of my own judgement. I admit I am disappointed in myself, but the hopeful part of me has already found a silver lining. I know if it was someone, who I did not care to be in their good graces, I would gladly say “Dear White People” .*in my most sarcastic tone, and just maybe a smirk to spice it up*
Since I have accepted my faults, I would like to add that there are people who come to nonsensical conclusions from whatever you watch/read/ listen to. And if you think I do not take them personal, then you are wrong. Not long ago I was bumping to some trap music, and an acquaintance of mine asked, “You listen to this kind of music?” ( I get that question a lot because my music taste is quite broad-based. But this time it sounded different, like my taste in music was vulgar. I could hear it in her tone). And my reaction was exactly like you imagined. I went total nuts and said, “Bisshh…Whet?” (No typo there but obviously in my head, because as you already know aggression is not my forte). I really cannot understand. How dare someone look down on the artistic works of Lil uzi vert ( a contemporary artist that discusses socially relevant issues), or Migos ( a renowned trio that has graced us with insurmountable flows *and hoes) , or Future ( even his name says it all)? *takes a deep breath* Trap: a genre of music that defines this generation, ArtisTrap and TrapisArt.
However, I understand those that say mainstream rap lacks substance or innovation. I remember the first time I listened to “Mask off”. I thought to myself, only Future could make a song about a female martyr sound so good; Molly Percocet must be a great woman. Imagine my surprise when I found out what it meant,it was then I knew- ignorance is really bliss. I know artists can choose better topics to sing/rap about. But why do we have to make music about deep, political or societal problems? Shouldn’t music offer an escape for everyone? Why can’t we sing about irrelevant topics like our T-shirt or something. Oh well, enough of my ranting. I guess it’s time to feed my soul with some Kendrick and Chance deepness , or with the word of God that pierces deeper than a sword( ooh . . . bet you didn’t see that coming).
Life of a maverick 